Development of Agrobacterium tumefaciens C58-induced plant tumors and impact on host shoots are controlled by a cascade of jasmonic acid, auxin, cytokinin, ethylene and abscisic acid

Dmitry Veselov, Markus Langhans, Wolfram Hartung, Roni Aloni, Ivo Feussner, Claudia Götz, Svetlana Veselova, Stefan Schlomski, Christoph Dickler, Knut Bächmann, Cornelia I. Ullrich*

*Corresponding author for this work

Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

76 Scopus citations

Abstract

The development of Agrobacterium tumefaciens-induced plant tumors primarily depends on the excessive production of auxin and cytokinin by enzymes encoded on T-DNA genes integrated into the plant genome. The aim of the present study was to investigate the involvement of additional phytohormone signals in the vascularization required for rapid tumor proliferation. In stem tumors of Ricinus communis L., free auxin and zeatin riboside concentrations increased within 2 weeks to 15-fold the concentrations in control stem tissue. Auxin and cytokinin immunolocalization revealed the highest concentrations within and around tumor vascular bundles with concentration gradients. The time-course of changes in free auxin concentration in roots was inversely correlated with that in the tumors. The high ethylene emission induced by increased auxin- and cytokinin correlated with a 36-fold accumulation of abscisic acid in tumors. Ethylene emitted from tumors and exogenously applied ethylene caused an increase in abscisic acid concentrations also in the host leaves, with a diminution in leaf water vapor conductance. Jasmonic acid concentration reached a maximum already within the first week of bacterial infection. A wound effect could be excluded. The results demonstrate the concerted interaction of a cascade of transiently induced, non-T-DNA-encoded phytohormones jasmonic acid, ethylene and abscisic acid with T-DNA-encoded auxin and zeatin riboside plus trans-zeatin, all of which are required for successful plant tumor vascularization and development together with inhibition of host plant growth.

Original languageEnglish
Pages (from-to)512-522
Number of pages11
JournalPlanta
Volume216
Issue number3
DOIs
StatePublished - 1 Jan 2003

Funding

FundersFunder number
Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft363, 567, SFB 199, GK 340

    Keywords

    • Abscisic acid
    • Agrobacterium tumefaciens-induced tumor
    • Auxin and cytokinin immunolocalization
    • Ethylene
    • Jasmonic acid
    • Ricinus

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