Characterization of the Pathway Leading to the Synthesis of Salicylic Acid in Plants Resisting Pathogen Infection.

<p>Salicylic acid is a plant hormone that accumulates with plant-pathogen interaction. This accumulation corresponds to the plant being resistant to infection and without it the plant is susceptible. In this study, primers of genes involved in the normal synthesis of SA were used in RT-PCR to compare gene expression levels in susceptible and resistant plants challenged with tobacco mosaic virus. Because SA synthesis shares chorismate as a common substrate with the synthesis of aromatic amino acids, HPLC was used to determine whether the increase in SA could be attributed to a decrease in amino acid levels. The results suggest that genes of the shikimate pathway are up-regulated in both plant lines but much more quickly in the resistant plant, making differential gene expression a possible cause of SA accumulation. Additionally, results showed a more pronounced decrease in amino acid levels in resistant plants compared to susceptible plants.</p>

Name thesis:degree_name

MS (Master of Science)

Level thesis:degree_level

Thesis - unrestricted

Discipline thesis:degree_discipline

Biology

Year dc:date.issued

2008

Author dc:creator

• Eddo, Alexander

• Tobacco mosaic virus
• Shikimate pathway
• Systemic acquired resistance
• Salicylic acid
• Life Sciences
• Plant Pathology
• Plant Sciences

Statement dc:rights

• Copyright by the authors.

Repository record dc:identifier

https://dc.etsu.edu/etd/1958

OAI identifier oai:identifier

oai:dc.etsu.edu:etd-3310