The Arabidopsis heterotrimeric G-protein controls defense responses to necrotrophic and vascular fungi.The agb1 mutant impaired in the Gβ subunit displays enhanced susceptibility to these pathogens.Gβ/AGB1 forms an obligate dimer with either one of the Arabidopsis Gγ subunits (γ1/AGG1 and γ2/AGG2).Accordingly,we now demonstrate that the agg1 agg2 double mutant is as susceptible as agb1 plants to the necrotrophic fungus Plectosphaerella cucumerina.To elucidate the molecular basis of heterotrimeric G-protein-mediated resistance,we performed a comparative transcriptomic analysis of agb1-1 mutant and wild-type plants upon inoculation with P cucumerina.This analysis,together with metabolomic studies,demonstrated that G-protein-mediated resistance was independent of defensive pathways required for resistance to necrotrophic fungi,such as the salicylic acid,jasmonic acid,ethylene,abscisic acid,and tryptophan-derived metabolites signaling,as these pathways were not impaired in agb1 and agg1 agg2 mutants.Notably,many mis-regulated genes in agb1 plants were related with cell wall functions,which was also the case in agg1 agg2 mutant.Biochemical analyses and Fourier Transform InfraRed (FTIR) spectroscopy of cell walls from G-protein mutants revealed that the xylose content was lower in agb1 and agg1 agg2 mutants than in wild-type plants,and that mutant walls had similar FTIR spectratypes,which differed from that of wild-type plants.The data presented here suggest a canonical functionality of the Gβ and Gγ1/γ2 subunits in the control of Arabidopsis immune responses and the regulation of cell wall composition.
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