Biochemistry

Homeostasis between the cytoplasmic plant hormone salicylic acid (SA) and its’ inactive, vacuolar storage forms, SA-2-O-β-D-glucoside (SAG) and SA-β-D-Glucose Ester (SGE), regulates the fine-tuning of defense responses to biotrophic pathogens in Arabidopsis thaliana. This protocol describes a simplified, optimized procedure to extract and quantify free SA and total hydrolyzable SA in plant tissues using a classical HPLC-based method.

The mutualistic root endophyte Piriformospora indica colonizes a wide range of plants and the colonization of root cells by this fungus is very often associated with beneficial effects to its host, such as growth promotion and increased biotic and abiotic stress tolerance. These traits could be based on general mechanisms and signaling pathways common to many different plant species. One such mechanism could be the recruitment of phytohormone pathways by P. indica. It is known, that many mutualistic microorganisms are able to synthesize and secrete phytohormones during the interaction with their host plants. This protocol has been successfully utilized to analyze tryptophan (TRP)-dependent biosynthesis of indole-3-acetic acid (IAA) and its indole derivatives by P. indica (Hilbert et al., 2012).

The mutualistic root endophyte Piriformospora indica colonizes a wide range of plants and the colonization of root cells by this fungus is very often associated with beneficial effects to its host, such as growth promotion and increased biotic and abiotic stress tolerance. These traits may be based on general mechanisms and signaling pathways common to many different plant species. One such mechanism could be the recruitment of phytohormone pathways by P. indica. It is known, that many mutualistic microorganisms are able to synthesize and secrete phytohormones during the interaction with their host plants. This protocol has been successfully utilized to analyze tryptophan (TRP)-dependent biosynthesis of indole-3-acetic acid (IAA) and its indole derivatives by P. indica as well as their influence on the growth of this fungus (Hilbert et al., 2012).