Defence-related gene expression in bark and sapwood of Norway spruce in response to Heterobasidion parviporum and methyl jasmonate

We compared gene expression in Norway spruce secondary phloem (bark) and developing xylem (sapwood) in response to the necrotrophic pathogen Heterobasidion parviporum, wounding and methyl jasmonate (MeJ). The pathogen induced systemic and local up-regulation of PaPX3, PaPX2 and PaChi4 in both bark and sapwood that returned to constitutive levels as the plants recovered from the infection, whereas the local responses to MeJ were similar in both tissues but was longer lasting for PaPX3 and PaChi4. Genes involved in lignin biosynthesis (PaPAL1, PaPAL2, PaC4H3/5 and PaHCT1) were up-regulated locally in the bark in response to pathogen and wounding whereas MeJ induced a similar but stronger local response. The ethylene biosynthesis related transcripts PaACO and PaACS did not increase in response to MeJ treatment or the pathogen, however it increased both locally and systemically as a response to wounding in the sapwood. These results demonstrate that the local and systemic host responses to pathogen infection and wounding largely correspond and reveal striking similarities between the local response to a necrotroph, wounding and MeJ treatment in both bark and living wood.

► The host response to MeJ, wounding and the pathogen show striking similarities.
► Local and systemic host defense was found in the bark and in the living wood.
► The systemic defense response in the sapwood was at least as rapid as in the bark.