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ARS Home » Research » Publications at this Location » Publication #113329
Title: CHARACTERIZING THE OXYGEN UPTAKE RESPONSE DURING PLANT/BACTERIA RECOGNITION

Author
item Baker, Con
item Deahl, Kenneth
item Roberts, Daniel

Submitted to: American Phytopathological Society Abstracts
Publication Type: Abstract Only
Publication Acceptance Date: 8/31/2000
Publication Date: N/A
Citation: N/A

Interpretive Summary:

Technical Abstract: Suspended plant cells (potato and tobacco) and plant-associated bacteria were used for this study because they allow non-invasive monitoring of plant-microbe interactions that occur during the initial few moments of contact. Previous work with this system demonstrated that host/pathogen recognition was maintained with resistance resulting in rapid cell death. To complement our study of active oxygen production during recogniton, we characterized oxygen uptake using a new open-air technique that allows non-invasive monitoring of uptake rates over extended periods of time. We found that oxygen uptake by cells of both plants increased 300 to 400% after contact with bacteria. We demonstrated that the majority of this increased oxygen uptake is a result of both plant and bacterial respiration using inhibitors specific for plant or bacterial respiration. Only a small fraction of this oxygen uptake is accounted for by active oxygen production.