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ARS Home » Northeast Area » Ithaca, New York » Robert W. Holley Center for Agriculture & Health » Emerging Pests and Pathogens Research » Research » Publications at this Location » Publication #320961
Title: In vitro CLE peptide bioactivity assay on plant roots

Author
item CHEN, SHIYAN - Cornell University
item Wang, Xiaohong

Submitted to: Bio-protocol
Publication Type: Peer Reviewed Journal
Publication Acceptance Date: 11/25/2015
Publication Date: 12/22/2015
Citation: Chen, S., Wang, X. 2015. In vitro CLE peptide bioactivity assay on plant roots. Bio-protocol. 5:24.

Interpretive Summary: Plant-parasitic nematodes including potato cyst nematodes are devastating plant pests causing substantial crop losses annually. These nematodes secrete small effector peptides including CLE peptides into host root cells to promote successful infection. We have utilized a root bioassay to test the activity of nematode-secreted effector peptides on root growth and found that several nematode-secreted CLE peptides suppress plant root growth. The root bioassay protocol we have developed provides a valuable tool to aid the discovery of the function of nematode-secreted effector peptides in nematode infection of host plants.

Technical Abstract: Plant CLAVATA3/ESR (CLE)-related proteins play diverse roles in plant growth and development including regulating the development of root meristem. Mature CLE peptides are typically 12-13 amino acids (aa) in length that are derived from the conserved C-termini of their precursor proteins. Genes encoding small secreted peptides sharing similarity to plant CLE proteins have recently been cloned from plant-parasitic nematodes, pests that infect many important crops. It is demonstrated that exogenous application of synthetic 12-14 aa CLE peptides derivative of plant CLE proteins can suppress plant root growth. This protocol is to evaluate the bioactivity of CLE peptides originated from plant-parasitic nematodes by measuring the growth of plant roots or the size of root apical meristem (RAM) after CLE peptide treatment. Plants used in the study included Arabidopsis and potato.