Development of novel tools for modulation of multifactorial plant stress tolerance using key regulators of biotic and abiotic signalling
Final Report Abstract
The Project entitled promoted a close collaboration between researchers from the Universities of Bethlehem, Tel Aviv and Tübingen, and the Cologne Max-Planck Institute for Plant Breeding Research in the area of molecular plant genetics. The project aimed at molecular analysis of cross-talk between mechanisms that regulate defense responses of plants to biotic and abiotic stress stimuli. By comparative study of gene expression responses to different abiotic (salinity, drought, cold) and biotic (bacterial and fungal infections) stimuli, the Tübingen group found that defense responses of plants to pathogen infections can be greatly enhanced by inhibition of the synthesis of the plant hormone abscisic acid (ABA). As this hormone plays an important role in the adaptation of plants to drought and salinity, the results led to the intriguing conclusion that the capabilities of plants to cope with environmental extremities and pathogens are controlled by antagonistic mechanisms. The Cologne group has identified a key regulator of these opposing mechanisms, which is a protein kinase required for maintenance of photosynthetic and respiratory functions of plant cell organelles, chloroplasts and mitochondria, respectively. Whereas this kinase stimulates ABA responses, its silencing leads to constitutive activation of pathogen defense pathways and synthesis of another plant hormone, salicylic acid that confers systemic acquired resistance to bacterial and fungal infections. By complementing these studies, the Tel Aviv group has identified a novel protein kinase, which regulates the electron transport chain of chloroplasts and thereby photosynthesis under oxidative stress conditions. In addition, the Tel Aviv group has characterized several novel gene functions that enhance drought and salt stress tolerance. In collaboration with the Bethlehem University, these drought tolerance determinants were introduced into several salt resistant tomato lines cultivated at the Middle East, to test their applicability. The Bethlehem and Tel Aviv groups performed comparative gene expression studies of salt sensitive and tolerant tomato lines to identify natural gene variations involved in determination of salt tolerance traits. By regular meetings and scientific exchanges between the partners, the project contributed to intensive training of graduate students and post-doctoral fellows and paved the way to promoting long-term scientific interactions between the participating German, Israeli and Palestinian research institutions.
Publications
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(2009). Trichoderma harzianum in combination with sheep manure organic amendment enhances soil suppressiveness of Fusarium wilt of tomato. Phytopathologia Mediterranea 48 (3), 385-395
Radwan Barakat and Mohammad Al-Masri
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2009. Towards developing a drought-tolerant tomato plant: Transfer of the Open Stomata 1 mutated gene to MP1 tomato cultivar. First Conference on Biotechnology Research and Application in Palestine. Bethlehem University, April 3rd-4th, 2009
Sholi N., Sandouka B., Iraki N.
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(2010) Characterization of ACC deaminase from the biocontrol and plant growth-promoting agent Trichoderma asperellum T203. FEMS Microbiol Lett. 305:42-8
Viterbo A, Landau U, Kim S, Chernin L, Chet I
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(2010) Transcriptional control of Arabidopsis aspartate kinase gene family by light and sucrose. Planta Jan 30
Ufaz, S., Shukla, V., Soloveichik, Y., Golan, Y., Breuer, F., Koncz, Z., Galili, G., Koncz, C. and Zilberstein, A.
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(2011) BAC-recombineering for studying plant gene regulation: developmental control and cellular localization of SnRK1 kinase subunits. Plant J. Dec 13 [Epub ahead of print]
Bitrián, M., Roodbarkelari, F. and Koncz, C.
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(2011) Transcriptional control of aspartate kinase expression during darkness and sugar depletion in Arabidopsis: Involvement of bZIP trascription factors. Planta Jan 30
Ufaz, S., Shukla, V., Soloveichik, Y., Golan, Y., Breuer, F., Koncz, Zs, Galili, G., Koncz, C. and Zilberstein, A.
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Autophagy differentially controls plant basal immunity to biotrophic and necrotrophic pathogens. Plant J.
Lenz, H.D., Haller, E., Melzer, E., Kober, K., Wurster, K., Stahl, M., Bassham, D.C., Vierstra, R.D., Parker, J.E., Bautor, J., Molina, A., Escudero, V., Shindo, T., van der Hoorn, R.A.L., Gust, A.A., Nürnberger, T.
