Interactive regulation of immune-related resistance genes with salicylic acid and jasmonic acid signaling in systemic acquired resistance in the Xanthomonas–Brassica pathosystem

Pathogen-responsive immune-related genes (resistance genes [R-genes]) and hormones are crucial mediators of systemic acquired resistance (SAR). However, their integrated functions in regulating SAR signaling components in local and distal leaves remain largely unknown. To characterize SAR in the Xanthomonas campestris pv. campestris (Xcc)–Brassica napus pathosystem, the responses of R-genes, (leaf and phloem) hormone levels, H₂O₂ levels, and Ca²⁺ signaling-related genes were assessed in local and distal leaves of plants exposed to four Xcc-treatments: Non-inoculation (control), only secondary Xcc-inoculation in distal leaves (C-Xcc), only primary Xcc-inoculation in local leaves (Xcc), and both primary and secondary Xcc-inoculation (X-Xcc). The primary Xcc-inoculation provoked disease symptoms as evidenced by enlarged destructive necrosis in the local leaves of Xcc and X-Xcc plants 7 days post-inoculation. Comparing visual symptoms in distal leaves 5 days post-secondary inoculation, yellowish necrotic lesions were clearly observed in non Xcc-primed plants (C-Xcc), whereas no visual symptom was developed in Xcc-primed plants (X-Xcc), demonstrating SAR. Pathogen resistance in X-Xcc plants was characterized by distinct upregulations in expression of the PAMP-triggered immunity (PTI)-related kinase-encoding gene, BIK1, the (CC-NB-LRR-type) R-gene, ZAR1, and its signaling-related gene, NDR1, with a concurrent enhancement of the kinase-encoding gene, MAPK6, and a depression of the (TIR-NB-LRR-type) R-gene, TAO1, and its signaling-related gene, SGT1, in distal leaves. Further, in X-Xcc plants, higher salicylic acid (SA) and jasmonic acid (JA) levels, both in phloem and distal leaves, were accompanied by enhanced expressions of the SA-signaling gene, NPR3, the JA-signaling genes, LOX2 and PDF1.2, and the Ca²⁺-signaling genes, CAS and CBP60g. However, in distal leaves of C-Xcc plants, an increase in SA level resulted in an antagonistic depression of JA, which enhanced only SA-dependent signaling, EDS1 and NPR1. These results demonstrate that primary Xcc-inoculation in local leaves induces resistance to subsequent pathogen attack by upregulating BIK1-ZAR1-mediated synergistic interactions with SA and JA signaling as a crucial component of SAR.