Ethylene: A Master Regulator of Plant-Microbe Interactions under Abiotic Stresses.

The plant phytohormone ethylene regulates numerous physiological processes and contributes to plant-microbe interactions. Plants induce ethylene production to ward off pathogens after recognition of conserved microbe-associated molecular patterns (MAMPs). However, plant immune responses against pathogens are essentially not different from those triggered by neutral and beneficial microbes. Recent studies indicate that ethylene is an important factor for beneficial plant-microbial association under abiotic stress such as salt and heat stress. The association of beneficial microbes with plants under abiotic stresses modulates ethylene levels which control the expression of ethylene-responsive genes (ERF), and ERFs further regulate the plant transcriptome, epi-transcriptome, Na+/K+ homeostasis and antioxidant defense mechanisms against reactive oxygen species (ROS). Understanding ethylene-dependent plant-microbe interactions is crucial for the development of new strategies aimed at enhancing plant tolerance to harsh environmental conditions. In this review, we underline the importance of ethylene in beneficial plant-microbe interaction under abiotic stresses.

Methyl angolensate changes in Khaya ivorensis after fungal infection.

Khaya ivorensis with and without symptoms of stem and branch cankers, caused by Botryosphaeria rhodina were examined in order to determine whether the secondary metabolites in this plant were associated with a chemical defense response. This study provides evidence that the limonoid methyl angolensate (MA) is present at higher concentrations in K. ivorensis with symptoms of stem cankers rather than in the plants without symptoms. A rapid, sensitive and selective HPLC-ESI-MS/MS method (using selected reaction monitoring--SRM--mode) was developed for quantification of MA in all aerials parts of such plants, with a good linearity over a range of 0.1-20.0 g/kg, with r(2)>0.996+/-6.1%. The limits of detection (LOD) and quantification (LOQ) were less than 0.03 g/kg and 0.08 g/kg, respectively. Relative Standard Deviations (RSDs) ranged from 1.7% to 19.2% for all matrices. While the MA concentration did not change in the stem bark, its amounts increased nearly fourfold in stems and by 20% in leaves, when plants with symptoms were compared with those without symptoms. These data suggest that MA plays a role in plant-pathogen interactions, probably as a phytoanticipin.