| Title: | Aphid-induced accumulation of trehalose in Arabidopsis thaliana is systemic and dependent upon aphid density |
| Author(s): | Hodge S; Ward JL; Beale MH; Bennett M; Mansfield JW; Powell G; |
| Address: | "Department of Life Sciences, Imperial College London, South Kensington, London, SW7 2AZ, UK. simon.hodge@lincoln.ac.nz" |
| DOI: | 10.1007/s00425-012-1826-4 |
| ISSN/ISBN: | 1432-2048 (Electronic) 0032-0935 (Linking) |
| Abstract: | "Trehalose is a disaccharide sugar that is now considered to be widely distributed among higher plants. Trehalose has been attributed a number of roles, including control of basic plant processes, such as photosynthesis, and conferring tolerance to abiotic stresses, such as desiccation and high salinity. Trehalose is also a common storage sugar used by insects. In this study, we used laboratory investigations to examine various aspects of trehalose dynamics in an aphid-host plant system (Arabidopsis and the peach potato aphid, Myzus persicae). Trehalose concentrations were measured by [1-H]-NMR. Myzus persicae reared on Arabidopsis, but not on black mustard or spring cabbage, contained considerable quantities of trehalose (5 % w/w dry matter). In Arabidopsis foliage, feeding by aphids induced a density-dependent accumulation of trehalose up to 5 mg g(-1) dry weight. Leaves that were not challenged directly by aphids also exhibited increased trehalose concentrations, indicating that this accumulation was systemic. Trehalose was measured at high concentrations in the phloem sap of plants challenged by aphids, suggesting that aphid feeding induced the plant to produce significant quantities of trehalose, which moved through the plant and into the aphids via the phloem sap. Trehalose was also excreted in the aphid honeydew. Further work is required to clarify whether this trehalose accumulation in Arabidopsis has a direct role or a signalling function in plant tolerance of, or resistance to, aphid feeding, and if a similar accumulation of this sugar occurs when other species or genotypes of aphids are reared on this host plant" |
| Keywords: | Animals Aphids/*physiology Arabidopsis/*enzymology *Herbivory Population Density Trehalose/*metabolism; |
| Notes: | "MedlineHodge, Simon Ward, Jane L Beale, Michael H Bennett, Mark Mansfield, John W Powell, Glen eng MET20482/BB_/Biotechnology and Biological Sciences Research Council/United Kingdom Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't Germany 2012/12/18 Planta. 2013 Apr; 237(4):1057-64. doi: 10.1007/s00425-012-1826-4. Epub 2012 Dec 15" |
