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Submitted to: Molecular Plant-Microbe Interactions
Publication Type: Peer Reviewed Journal Publication Acceptance Date: 1/9/2009 Publication Date: 4/6/2009 Citation: Bolton, M.D. 2009. Primary Metabolism and Plant Defense - Fuel for the Fire. Molecular Plant-Microbe Interactions. 22(5):487-497. Interpretive Summary: Plants are often the target of pathogen invasion. In order to stay healthy, plants must recognize the presence of the pathogen and subsequently deploy defense responses to stop pathogen growth. Such defense responses have been shown to place heavy demands on plant energy reserves. However, research on how plants are able to provide energy for defense has received little attention in the field of plant pathology. This review summarizes current research on primary metabolism and its role in fueling the resistance response against plant pathogens. Technical Abstract: Plants have the ability to recognize and respond to a multitude of microorganisms. Recognition of pathogens results in a massive reprogramming of the plant cell to activate and deploy defense responses to halt pathogen growth. Such responses are associated with increased demands for energy, reducing equivalents, and carbon skeletons that are provided by primary metabolic pathways. Although pathogen recognition and down-stream resistance responses have been the focus of major study, an intriguing and comparatively under-studied phenomenon is how plants are able to recruit energy for the defense response. To that end, this review will summarize current research on primary metabolism and its role in fueling the resistance response. |
