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The plant hypersensitive response (HR) to avirulent bacterial pathogens results from programmed cell death of plant cells in the infected region. Ion leakage and changes in signaling components associated with HR progression were measured. These studies compared Arabidopsis mutants affecting feedback loops with wild-type plants, with timepoints taken hourly. In response to Pseudomonas syringae pv. tomato DC3000 x avrB, npr1-2 mutant plants showed increased ion leakage relative to wild-type plants. Hydrogen peroxide accumulation was similar to that in wild type, but salicylic acid accumulation was reduced at some timepoints. With DC3000 x avrRpt2, similar trends were seen. In response to DC3000 x avrB, ndr1-1 mutant plants showed more ion leakage than wild-type or npr1-2 plants. Hydrogen peroxide accumulation was delayed by approximately 1 h and reached half the level seen with wild-type plants. Salicylic acid accumulation was similar to npr1-2 mutant plants. With DC3000 x avrRpt2, ndr1-1 mutant plants showed no ion leakage, no hydrogen peroxide accumulation, and minimal salicylic acid accumulation. Results with a ndr1-1 and npr1-2 double mutant were similar to ndr1-1. A model consistent with these data is presented, in which one positive and two negative regulatory circuits control HR progression. Understanding this circuitry will facilitate HR manipulation for enhanced disease resistance.

A capillary electrophoresis-based method for quantitation of total salicylic acid levels in Arabidopsis leaves was developed. Direct comparison to previous high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC)-based measurements showed similar levels of salicylic acid. Simultaneous quantitation of trans-cinnamic acid, benzoic acid, sinapic acid, and an internal recovery standard was achieved. A rapid, streamlined protocol with requirements for plant tissue reduced relative to those of HPLC-based protocols is presented. Complicated, multiparameter experiments were thus possible despite the labor-intensive nature of inoculating plants with bacterial pathogens. As an example of this sort of experiment, detailed time course studies of total salicylic acid accumulation by wild-type Arabidopsis and two lines with mutations affecting salicylic acid accumulation in response to either of two avirulent bacterial strains were performed. Accumulation in the first 12h was biphasic. The first phase was partially SID2 and NDR1 dependent with both bacterial strains. The second phase was largely independent of both genes with bacteria carrying avrB, but dependent upon both genes with bacteria carrying avrRpt2. Virulent bacteria did not elicit salicylic acid accumulation at these time points. Application of this method to various Arabidopsis pathosystems and the wealth of available disease resistance signaling mutants will refine knowledge of disease resistance and associated signal transduction.