Technology Partnership of Nagoya University, Inc.

Activation of plant growth and immunity using biostimulants derived from natural substances 

 

The plant cell surface contains a large number of receptors to sense external signals for activating appropriate responses. Representative signals recognized by plant cells include microbe-associated molecular patterns (MAMPs) and damage-associated molecular patterns (DAMPs). Plant growth, disease resistance, and abiotic stress tolerances can be controlled by using a combination of such substances, also referred to as biostimulants. 

 

Chitin-oligosaccharide (CHOS), a primary component of fungal cell walls, is a typical MAMP, while plant cell wall-derived oligosaccharides, cello-oligosaccharides (COS) from cellulose and xylo-oligosaccharide (XOS) from hemicellulose, are representative DAMPs. Treatment of COS, XOS, or CHOS induced typical plant defense responses, including reactive oxygen species (ROS) production, phosphorylation of MAP kinase, callose deposition, and activation of defense-related transcription factors, but there were differences in the set of genes upregulated by treatment with these oligosaccharides. Moreover, a mixture of the three oligosaccharides (Oligo-mix) induced gene expression that was not stimulated by the single treatments, suggesting that cross-talk between signals recognized by different receptors activates more specific and effective plant responses. In practice, treatment of the Oligo-mix can promote the growth of tomato, cucumber and other crops, as well as enhance the resistance against fungal pathogens in greenhouse or fields, making them promising compounds for practical application. 

 

Moreover, we recently identified 2 structurally different lipophilic MAMPs containing 9-methyl-4,8-sphingadienine (9Me-Spd) and 5,8,11,14-tetraene-type fatty acid (5,8,11,14-TEFA) as microbe-specific substructures, from the oomycete pathogen Phytophthora infestans. Treatment of these MAMPs can induce distinctive defense responses, but both molecules can significantly enhance the disease resistance of potato and other plants. By increasing the repertoire of plant immunizing and growth-promoting substances and mixing them appropriately, the development of biostimulant  mixtures with more consistent effects in the field would be achieved.

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Selected Publication

• Monjil MS, Kato H, Ota S, Matsuda K, Suzuki N, Tenhiro S, Tatsumi A, Pring S, Miura A, Camagna M, Suzuki T, Tanaka A, Terauchi R, Sato I, Chiba S, Kawakita K, Ojika M and Takemoto D (2024) Two structurally different oomycete lipophilic microbe-associated molecular patterns induce distinctive plant immune responses. Plant Physiol. 2024 196: 479-494.

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• Pring S, Kato H, Imano S, Camagna M, Tanaka A, Kimoto H, Chen P, Shrotri A, Kobayashi H, Fukuoka A, Saito M, Suzuki T, Terauchi R, Sato I, Chiba S and Takemoto D (2023) Induction of plant disease resistance by mixed oligosaccharide elicitors prepared from plant cell wall and crustacean shells. Physiol Plant. 175: e14052.

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• Kuroyanagi T, Bulasag AS, Fukushima K, Suzuki T, Tanaka A, Camagna M, Sato I, Chiba S, Ojika M, Takemoto D (2022) Botrytis cinerea identifies host plants via the recognition of antifungal capsidiol to induce expression of a specific detoxification gene. PNAS Nexus 1: pgac274.

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• Kato H, Nemoto K, Shimizu M, Abe A, Asai S, Ishihama N, Matsuoka S, Daimon T, Ojika M, Kawakita K, Onai K, Shirasu K, Yoshida M, Ishiura M, Takemoto D, Takano Y, Terauchi R (2022) Recognition of pathogen-derived sphingolipids in Arabidopsis. Science 376: 857-860.

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• Kayano Y, Tanaka A, Takemoto D (2018) Two closely related Rho GTPases, Cdc42 and RacA, of the endophytic fungus Epichloë festucae have contrasting roles for ROS production and symbiotic infection synchronized with the host plant. PLOS Pathog. 14: e1006840.

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Full list of Publication

- Orcid

- ResearchGate

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