The ZjMYB44-ZjPOD51 module enhances jujube defense response against phytoplasma by upregulating lignin biosynthesis

Abstract

Lignin is a major component of the plant cell wall and has a conserved basic defense function in higher plants, helping the plants cope with pathogen infection. However, the regulatory mechanism of lignin biosynthesis in plants under phytoplasma stress remains unclear. In this study, we reported that peroxidase 51 (ZjPOD51), which is involved in lignin monomer polymerization, was induced by phytoplasma infection and that overexpression of ZjPOD51 in phytoplasma-infected jujube seedlings and Arabidopsis plants significantly increased their defense response against phytoplasma. Yeast one-hybrid (Y1H) and luciferase (LUC) assays showed that ZjPOD51 transcription was directly upregulated by ZjMYB44. Genetic validation demonstrated that ZjMYB44 expression was also induced by phytoplasma infection and contributed to lignin accumulation, which consequently enhanced phytoplasma defense in a ZjPOD51-dependent manner. These results demonstrated that the ZjMYB44-ZjPOD51 module enhanced the jujube defense response against phytoplasma by upregulating lignin biosynthesis. Overall, our study first elucidates how plants regulate lignin to enhance their defense response against phytoplasma and provides clues for jujube resistance breeding.

Acknowledgements

This work was supported by grants from the Central Guidance for Local Science and Technology Development Funds Project (236Z6801G), the Natural Science Foundation of Hebei Province (C2024204185), the National Natural Science Foundation of China (32471909), and the Hebei Province Innovation Foundation for Postgraduates (CXZZBS2022053). These funding bodies had no role in the design of the study, sample collection, analysis or interpretation of data, or in writing the manuscript. We thank Metware Biolab (Wuhan) Co. Ltd. for providing the methods for partial data analysis.

Author contributions

J.Z. and H.W. designed and supervised the research. L.Z. performed the main experiments. L.Z. and J.Z. wrote the manuscript. H.L., X.W., and Z.L. performed part of the data analysis and prepared materials. Y.L. and W.H. performed the assay of phytoplasma inoculation. M.L. participated in the discussion. All authors read and approved the final manuscript.

Data availability

The data that support the findings of this study are available in the supplementary material of the article.

Conflict of interest statement

The authors have no conflict of interest to declare.

Supplementary data

Supplementary data is available at Horticulture Research online.

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