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Plants genetically modified to produce N-acylhomoserine lactones communicate with bacteria

Nature Biotechnology volume 17, pages 1017–1020 (1999)Cite this article

Abstract

N-acylhomoserine lactones (AHLs) play a critical role in plant/microbe interactions. The AHL, N-(3-oxohexanoyl)-L-homoserine lactone (OHHL), induces exoenzymes that degrade the plant cell wall by the pathogenic bacterium Erwinia carotovora. Conversely, the antifungal activity of the biocontrol bacterium Pseudomonas aureofaciens 30–84 is due (at least in part) to phenazine antibiotics whose synthesis is regulated by N-hexanoylhomoserine lactone (HHL). Targeting the product of an AHL synthase gene (yenI) from Yersinia enterocolitica to the chloroplasts of transgenic tobacco plants caused the synthesis in plants of the cognate AHL signaling molecules (OHHL and HHL). The AHLs produced by the transgenic plants were sufficient to induce target gene expression in several recombinant bacterial AHL biosensors and to restore biocontrol activity to an HHL-deficient P. aureofaciens strain. In addition, pathogenicity was restored to an E. carotovora strain rendered avirulent as a consequence of a mutation in the OHHL synthase gene, carI. The ability to generate bacterial quorum-sensing signaling molecules in the plant offers novel opportunities for disease control and for manipulating plant/microbe interactions.

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Figure 1: Production of signaling molecules by transgenic plants.
Figure 2
Figure 3: Bacterial responses to leaves and roots of transgenic plants.

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Acknowledgements

We thank Barrie Bycroft for helpful discusions, Siri Ram Chhabra for providing synthetic AHLs, and Sandy Pierson for the P. aureofaciens phzI mutant. This work was supported by a Biotechnology and Biological Sciences Research Council Sir David Phillips Fellowship awarded to R.G.F. and by grants from the Biotechnology and Biological Sciences Research Council and the Wellcome Trust to D.G., P.W., and G.S.A.B.S., which are gratefully acknowledged.

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Author notes

  1. John P. Throup

    Present address: SmithKline Beecham Pharmaceuticals Research and Development, Collegeville, PA, 19426

  2. Gordon S.A.B. Stewart: Deceased.

Authors and Affiliations

  1. School of Biological Sciences, Nottingham University , Loughborough, LE12 5RD, UK

    Rupert G. Fray, John P. Throup, Andrew Wallace & Donald Grierson

  2. School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of Nottingham, University Park, Nottingham, NG7 2RD, UK

    John P. Throup, Mavis Daykin, Paul Williams & Gordon S.A.B. Stewart

Authors
  1. Rupert G. Fray
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Correspondence to Rupert G. Fray.

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Fray, R., Throup, J., Daykin, M. et al. Plants genetically modified to produce N-acylhomoserine lactones communicate with bacteria. Nat Biotechnol 17, 1017–1020 (1999). https://doi.org/10.1038/13717

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