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Agrobacterium rhizogenes rolA gene promotes tolerance to Fusarium oxysporum f. sp. lycopersici in transgenic tomato plants (Solanum lycopersicum L.)

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Abstract

In order to assess the role of Agrobacterium rhizogenes rol genes on the defence response of plants to pathogens, tomato plants (Solanum lycopersicum L.) were transformed with the rolA gene. Consistently with previous descriptions of rolA-induced phenotype, insertion of this gene had a pleiotropic effect determining highly aberrant plants, with wrinkled, intensely green leaves, thick stems and small fruits often lacking seeds. Infection of transgenic plants with the phytopathogenic fungus Fusarium oxysporum f. sp. lycopersici showed the acquirement of resistance/tolerance to the pathogen as evaluated both on the primary transformants by electrolyte leakage and on the transgenic progenies by direct infection. Determination of the endogenous levels of indole-3-acetic acid (IAA) and abscisic acid (ABA) showed a 30–35 % decrease of both phytohormones in rolA plants harbouring three copies of the transgene compared to the controls, while a significantly lower level of ABA was observed in plants with one copy of the transgene. This is the first demonstration of the direct involvement of rolA gene in plant pathogen tolerance acquisition.

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Abbreviations

ABA:

abscisic acid

IAA:

indole-3-acetic acid

PCR:

polymerase chain reaction

RT-PCR:

reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction

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Acknowledgments

Authors are grateful to Prof. Aniello Scala (Dipartimento di Scienze delle Produzioni Agroalimentari e dell’Ambiente, University of Florence, Italy) for helpful discussion and critical reading of the manuscript. Riccardo Innocenti (Dipartimento di Biologia, University of Florence, Italy) is acknowledged for photographic work on transgenic plants. Research supported by grants from Ministero dell’Università e della Ricerca, Progetto Nazionale di Ricerca “Biotecnologie Avanzate”, Tema 4 to PPB, ES, RB, FR, PM, PC; from Ministero delle Politiche Agricole e Forestali, project “Protezione delle piante mediante l’uso di marcatori molecolari” (PROMAR) to PPB, RB, FR; from Progetto Ateneo Sapienza Università di Roma to Prof. Maria Maddalena Altamura and MLM.

Conflict of interest

Authors P. P. Bettini, R. Baraldi and F. Rapparini have received research grants from Ministero dell’Università e della Ricerca and Ministero delle Politiche Agricole e Forestali. Authors E. Santangelo, P. Mosconi and P. Crinò have received research grant from Ministero dell’Università e della Ricerca. Author M. L. Mauro has received research grant from Progetto Ateneo Sapienza Università di Roma.

Author contribution statement

P. P. Bettini obtained the transgenic plants, carried out phenotypic analysis and self-fertilization, performed molecular analysis and ion leakage experiments, and wrote the paper. R. Baraldi and F. Rapparini carried out the determination of ABA and IAA levels and revised the manuscript. E. Santangelo, P. Mosconi and P. Crinò performed the infection experiment, collected and analyzed the data and revised the manuscript. M. L. Mauro obtained the construct with the Agrobacterium rhizogenes rolA gene in the appropriate Agrobacterium tumefaciens strain for transformation and wrote the paper.

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Author notes

  1. Enrico Santangelo

    Present address: Consiglio per la Ricerca e la Sperimentazione in Agricoltura, Unità di Ricerca per l’Ingegneria Agraria (CRA-ING), Via della Pascolare 16, 00016, Monterotondo Scalo, (Roma), Italy

  2. Pietro Mosconi

    Present address: ENZA-ZADEN Italia SRL, S.S. Aurelia km 96,710, Lato Mare, 01016, Tarquinia, (VT), Italy

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Dipartimento di Biologia, Università degli Studi di Firenze, via Madonna del Piano 6, 50019, Sesto Fiorentino, FI, Italy

    Priscilla Paola Bettini

  2. Consorzio Agrital Ricerche, Viale dell’Industria 24, 00057, Maccarese, Roma, Italy

    Enrico Santangelo & Pietro Mosconi

  3. Istituto di Biometeorologia, Sezione di Bologna, Consiglio Nazionale delle Ricerche, via P. Gobetti 101, 40129, Bologna, Italy

    Rita Baraldi & Francesca Rapparini

  4. ENEA C. R. Casaccia, UTAGRI - Laboratorio Innovazione Agro-Industriale, via Anguillarese 301, 00123, Roma, Italy

    Paola Crinò

  5. Dipartimento di Biologia e Biotecnologie, Sapienza Università di Roma, P.le A. Moro 5, 00185, Roma, Italy

    Maria Luisa Mauro

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  1. Priscilla Paola Bettini
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Correspondence to Maria Luisa Mauro.

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Bettini, P.P., Santangelo, E., Baraldi, R. et al. Agrobacterium rhizogenes rolA gene promotes tolerance to Fusarium oxysporum f. sp. lycopersici in transgenic tomato plants (Solanum lycopersicum L.). J. Plant Biochem. Biotechnol. 25, 225–233 (2016). https://doi.org/10.1007/s13562-015-0328-4

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