TheVe-resistance locus, a plant signaling intercept

Abstract

Main conclusion TheVe-resistance locus in tomato and potato affects both stress/defense and growth, consistent with a signaling intercept and a competitive regulatory mechanism. Acting in an antagonistic fashion, the two genes comprising the tomatoVe-resistance locus have been shown to influence both the defense/stress cascade, which causes wilt symptoms, and plant growth (Nazar et al. in Planta 247:1339-1350, 2018c); in contrast, both have been reported to elevate wilt resistance in potato orArabidopsis. In a further examination of this influence in potato transformed with theVe1gene, effects are again demonstrated with respect to both disease resistance and crop productivity consistent with theVelocus being a signaling intercept and the antagonistic effects, previously observed in tomato. The results support a competitive model in which the tomato Ve1 and Ve2 proteins act to reduce the detrimental effects of the defense/stress cascade and energy transfers to the developing potato tubers.