Insights into the role of jasmonic acid-mediated defenses against necrotrophic and biotrophic fungal pathogens

Abstract

Jasmonic acid (JA) is a natural hormone regulator involved in development, responses against wounding and pathogen attack. Upon perception of pathogens, JA is synthesized and mediates a signaling cascade initiating various defense responses. Traditionally, necrotrophic fungi have been shown to be the primary activators of JA-dependent defenses through the JA-receptor, COI1. Conversely, plants infected with biotrophic fungi have classically been associated with suppressing JA-mediated responses. However, recent evidence has shown that certain biotrophic fungal species also trigger activation of JA-mediated responses and mutants deficient in JA signaling show an increase in susceptibility to certain biotrophic fungal pathogens. These findings suggest a new role for JA in defense against fungal biotrophs. This review will focus on recent research advancing our knowledge of JA-dependant responses involved in defense against both biotrophic and necrotrophic fungi.

Keywords

jasmonic acid (JA) / methyl jasmonate (MeJA) / biotrophic fungi / necrotrophic fungi / COI1

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Acknowledgments

We are grateful to members of the Ramonell Laboratory for scientific discussions and review of the manuscript. This work was supported by the University of Alabama and by a grant from the US Department of Agriculture (Grant No. 2007-01652 to K. M. R.).

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