Betiana S. Garavaglia, Ludivine Thomas, Natalia Gottig, Tamara Zimaro, Cecilia G. Garofalo, Chris Gehring and Jorgelina Ottado

Betiana S. Garavaglia

Molecular Biology Division, Instituto de Biología Molecular y Celular de Rosario, Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas, Facultad de Ciencias Bioquímicas y Farmacéuticas, Universidad Nacional de Rosario, Suipacha 531, (S2002LRK) Rosario, Argentina

Ludivine Thomas

Department of Biotechnology, University of the Western Cape, Bellville, South Africa

Natalia Gottig

Molecular Biology Division, Instituto de Biología Molecular y Celular de Rosario, Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas, Facultad de Ciencias Bioquímicas y Farmacéuticas, Universidad Nacional de Rosario, Rosario, Argentina

Tamara Zimaro

Molecular Biology Division, Instituto de Biología Molecular y Celular de Rosario, Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas, Facultad de Ciencias Bioquímicas y Farmacéuticas, Universidad Nacional de Rosario, Rosario, Argentina

Cecilia G. Garofalo

Molecular Biology Division, Instituto de Biología Molecular y Celular de Rosario, Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas, Facultad de Ciencias Bioquímicas y Farmacéuticas, Universidad Nacional de Rosario, Rosario, Argentina

Chris Gehring

Molecular Biology Division, Instituto de Biología CBRC, King Abdullah University of Science and Technology, Thuwal, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia

Jorgelina Ottado

Corresponding author: ottado@ibr.gov.ar
Molecular Biology Division, Instituto de Biología Molecular y Celular de Rosario, Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas, Facultad de Ciencias Bioquímicas y Farmacéuticas, Universidad Nacional de Rosario, Rosario, Argentina

The role of photosynthesis in plant defense is a fundamental question awaiting further molecular and physiological elucidation. To this end we investigated host responses to infection with the bacterial pathogen Xanthomonas axonopodis pv. citri, the pathogen responsible for citrus canker. This pathogen encodes a plant-like natriuretic peptide (XacPNP) that is expressed specifically during the infection process and prevents deterioration of the physiological condition of the infected tissue. Proteomic assays of citrus leaves infected with a XacPNP deletion mutant (∆XacPNP) resulted in a major reduction in photosynthetic proteins such as Rubisco, Rubisco activase and ATP synthase as a compared with infection with wild type bacteria. In contrast, infiltration of citrus leaves with recombinant XacPNP caused an increase in these host proteins and a concomitant increase in photosynthetic efficiency as measured by chlorophyll fluorescence assays. Reversion of the reduction in photosynthetic efficiency in citrus leaves infected with ∆XacPNP was achieved by the application of XacPNP or Citrus sinensis PNP lending support to a case of molecular mimicry. Finally, given that ∆XacPNP infection is less successful than infection with the wild type, it appears that reducing photosynthesis is an effective plant defense mechanism against biotrophic pathogens.

Garavaglia BS, Thomas L, Gottig N, Dunger G, Garofalo CG, Daurelio LD, Ndimba B, Orellano EG, Gehring C, Ottado J. A eukaryotic-acquired gene by a biotrophic phytopathogen allows prolonged survival on the host by counteracting the shut-down of plant photosynthesis. PLoS ONE 2010; 5: e8950 and Garavaglia BS, Thomas L, Zimaro T, Gottig N, Daurelio LD, Ndimba B, Orellano EG, Ottado J, Gehring C. A plant natriuretic peptide-like molecule of the pathogen Xanthomonas axonopodis pv. citri causes rapid