Immunohistochemical changes in methyl-ester distribution of homogalacturonan and side chain composition of rhamnogalacturonan I as possible components of basal resistance in tomato inoculated with Ralstonia solanacearum

The composition and structure of pectic cell wall polysaccharides of stem sections were investigated in healthy and Ralstonia solanacearum-inoculated tomato genotypes L390 and Hawaii 7996, susceptible and resistant to bacterial wilt, respectively, by immunohistochemical analysis. Constitutive differences between genotypes manifested in methyl-ester distribution of homogalacturonan (HG), arabinan and galactan side chain composition of rhamnogalacturonan I (RG I) and arabinogalactan-protein (AGP) in the xylem parenchyma and in vessel cell walls. After inoculation increased labeling was observed with all the antibodies (JIM5, JIM7, LM2, LM5, LM6, LM7) specific for HG, RG I and AGP epitopes, in the xylem parenchyma and around xylem vessels of stem sections of L390, but not of Hawaii 7996. Also vessel cell walls were stronger stained after inoculation in L390, particularly for the non-blockwise de-esterification of HG, possibly indicating for the first time the non-blockwise action pattern of bacterial pectin methyl esterase. In genotype Hawaii 7996 a reaction to inoculation was observed only in vessel walls, with a significantly increased number of stained vessels—five- and nine-fold for arabinan and galactan epitopes of RG I, respectively. Differences in xylem cell wall structure may play a role as a constitutive resistance mechanism in the multigenic resistance of tomato against bacterial wilt, while changes after inoculation may contribute to induced basal resistance on cell wall level.