The synthetic cationic lipid diC14 activates a sector of the Arabidopsis defense network requiring endogenous signaling components (original) (raw)

Natural and synthetic elicitors have significantly contributed to the study of plant immunity. Pathogen-derived proteins and carbohydrates, that bind to immune receptors allowed fine dissection of some defense pathways. Lipids of different nature that act as defense elicitors have also been studied, but their specific effects have been less characterized, and their receptors have not been identified. In animal cells, nanoliposomes of the synthetic cationic lipid 3-tetradecylamino-tert-butyl-N-tetradecylpropionamidine (diC14) activate the TLR4-dependent immune cascade. We here investigated if this lipid induces Arabidopsis defense responses. At the local level, diC14 activated early and late defense gene markers (FRK1, WRKY29, ICS1 and PR1) acting in a dose dependent manner. This lipid induced the salicylic acid (SA)-, but not jasmonic acid (JA)-, dependent pathway and protected plants against Pseudomonas syringae pv. tomato (Pst), but not Botrytis cinerea. diC14 was not toxic for pl...