The transcription factor VvWRKY33 is involved in the regulation of grapevine (Vitis vinifera) defense against the oomycete pathogen Plasmopara viticola. Issue 3 (9th October 2014)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Merz, Patrick R.; Moser, Tina; Höll, Janine; Kortekamp, Andreas; Buchholz, Günther; Zyprian, Eva; Bogs, Jochen
• Is Part Of: Physiologia plantarum. Volume 153:Issue 3(2015:Mar.)
• Page Start: 365
• Page End: 380
• Publication Date: 2014-10-09
• Subjects: Plant physiology -- Periodicals; 571.2
• DOI: 10.1111/ppl.12251
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 0031-9317

Abstract

<abstract abstract-type="main" id="ppl12251-abs-0001"> <title> <x xml:space="preserve">Abstract</x> </title> <p id="ppl12251-para-0001">Grapevine (<italic>Vitis vinifera</italic> ssp. <italic>vinifera</italic>) is one of the most important fruit species; however, it is highly susceptible to various pathogens, which can cause severe crop losses in viticulture. It has been shown that several WRKY class transcription factors (TFs) are part of the signal transduction cascade, which leads to the activation of plant defense reactions against various pathogens. In the present investigation, a full‐length cDNA was isolated from <italic>V. vinifera</italic> leaf tissue encoding a predicted protein, designated VvWRKY33, which shows the characteristics of group I WRKY protein family. <italic>VvWRKY33</italic> induction correlates with the expression of <italic>VvPR10.1 (pathogenesis‐related 10.1)</italic> gene in the leaves of the resistant cultivar 'Regent' after infection with <italic>Plasmopara viticola</italic>, whereas in the susceptible cultivar 'Lemberger' <italic>VvWRKY33</italic> and <italic>VvPR10.1</italic> are not induced. Corresponding expression of the TF and <italic>VvPR10.1</italic> was even obtained in uninfected ripening berries. In planta, analysis of <italic>VvWRKY33</italic> has been performed by ectopic expression of <italic>VvWRKY33</italic> in grapevine leaves of greenhouse plants mediated via <italic>Agrobacterium tumefaciens</italic> transformation. In consequence, <italic>VvWRKY33</italic> strongly increases resistance to <italic>P. viticola</italic> in the susceptible cultivar 'Shiraz' and reduces pathogen sporulation of about 50–70%, indicating a functional role for resistance in grapevine. Complementation of the resistance‐deficient <italic>Arabidopsis thaliana</italic> Columbia‐0 (Col‐0) mutant line <italic>wrky33‐1</italic> by constitutive expression of <italic>VvWRKY33</italic> restores resistance against <italic>Botrytis cinerea</italic> to wild‐type level and in some complemented mutant lines even exceeds the resistance level of the parental line Col‐0. Our results support the involvement of <italic>VvWRKY33</italic> in the defense reaction of grapevine against different pathogens.</p> </abstract>