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Glycerol-3-phosphate acyltransferase 6 controls filamentous pathogen interactions and cell wall properties of the tomato and Nicotiana benthamiana leaf epidermis.

Fawke, S; Torode, T; Gogleva, A; Fich, EA; Sørensen, I; Yunusov, T; Rose, JKC; Schornack, S

Glycerol-3-phosphate acyltransferase 6 controls filamentous pathogen interactions and cell wall properties of the tomato and Nicotiana benthamiana leaf epidermis. Thumbnail


Authors

S Fawke

A Gogleva

EA Fich

I Sørensen

T Yunusov

JKC Rose

S Schornack



Abstract

The leaf outer epidermal cell wall acts as a barrier against pathogen attack and desiccation, and as such is covered by a cuticle, composed of waxes and the polymer cutin. Cutin monomers are formed by the transfer of fatty acids to glycerol by glycerol-3-phosphate acyltransferases, which facilitate their transport to the surface. The extent to which cutin monomers affect leaf cell wall architecture and barrier properties is not known. We report a dual functionality of pathogen-inducible GLYCEROL-3-PHOSPHATE ACYLTRANSFERASE 6 (GPAT6) in controlling pathogen entry and cell wall properties affecting dehydration in leaves. Silencing of Nicotiana benthamiana NbGPAT6a increased leaf susceptibility to infection by the oomycetes Phytophthora infestans and Phytophthora palmivora, whereas overexpression of NbGPAT6a-GFP rendered leaves more resistant. A loss-of-function mutation in tomato SlGPAT6 similarly resulted in increased susceptibility of leaves to Phytophthora infection, concomitant with changes in haustoria morphology. Modulation of GPAT6 expression altered the outer wall diameter of leaf epidermal cells. Moreover, we observed that tomato gpat6-a mutants had an impaired cell wall-cuticle continuum and fewer stomata, but showed increased water loss. This study highlights a hitherto unknown role for GPAT6-generated cutin monomers in influencing epidermal cell properties that are integral to leaf-microbe interactions and in limiting dehydration.

Acceptance Date Mar 29, 2019
Publication Date Apr 13, 2019
Publicly Available Date Mar 28, 2024
Journal New Phytologist
Print ISSN 0028-646X
Publisher Wiley
Pages 1547 - 1559
DOI https://doi.org/10.1111/nph.15846
Keywords Glycerol-3-phosphate acyltransferase, cell wall properties, Nicotiana benthamiana.
Publisher URL https://nph.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/full/10.1111/nph.15846

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