A Taphrina strain infecting the model plant Arabidopsis thaliana.

Abstract

Yeasts are important plant-associated organisms that can modulate host immunity to either promote or prevent disease. Mechanisms of plant-yeast interactions, specifically of yeast perception by the plant innate immune system, remain unknown. Progress has been hindered by the scarcity of yeast species associated with the model plant Arabidopsis thaliana (Arabidopsis). We have previously isolated Taphrina strain M11 from wild Arabidopsis in the field. Taphrina are poorly studied dimorphic yeast-like fungi that are plant pathogens, often producing plant hormones and causing tumour-like and leaf deformation symptoms on their hosts. Here we characterize the interaction of M11 with Arabidopsis. Infection of Arabidopsis with the birch pathogen T. betulina, used as a non-host control, shows early HR, enhanced ROS accumulation, and limitation of growth, demonstrating that Arabidopsis had immunity against non-adapted yeasts. M11 triggered limited cell death, an attenuated ROS response, and grew in planta, as well as subtle but clear leaf deformation symptoms, demonstrating it is pathogenic. Hormone responsive promoter-reporter analysis demonstrated activation of cytokinin signalling during infection. Mutant infection assays indicate jasmonate and ethylene were required for immunity against M11. Analysis of the Taphrina M11 genome was used to mine evidence for yeast specific PAMPs which may underlie host immune responses against yeast-like fungi.