AUTHOR=Gomes Eriston V. , Ulhoa Cirano J. , Cardoza Rosa E. , Silva Roberto N. , Gutiérrez Santiago 

TITLE=Involvement of Trichoderma harzianum Epl-1 Protein in the Regulation of Botrytis Virulence- and Tomato Defense-Related Genes

JOURNAL=Frontiers in Plant Science

VOLUME=8

YEAR=2017

URL=https://www.frontiersin.org/journals/plant-science/articles/10.3389/fpls.2017.00880

DOI=10.3389/fpls.2017.00880

ISSN=1664-462X

ABSTRACT=<p>Several <italic>Trichoderma</italic> spp. are well known for their ability to: (i) act as important biocontrol agents against phytopathogenic fungi; (ii) function as biofertilizers; (iii) increase the tolerance of plants to biotic and abiotic stresses; and (iv) induce plant defense responses via the production and secretion of elicitor molecules. In this study, we analyzed the gene-regulation effects of <italic>Trichoderma harzianum</italic> Epl-1 protein during the interactions of mutant Δ<italic>epl-1</italic> or wild-type <italic>T. harzianum</italic> strains with: (a) the phytopathogen <italic>Botrytis cinerea</italic> and (b) with tomato plants, on short (24 h hydroponic cultures) and long periods (4-weeks old plants) after <italic>Trichoderma</italic> inoculation. Our results indicate that <italic>T. harzianum</italic> Epl-1 protein affects the <italic>in vitro</italic> expression of <italic>B. cinerea</italic> virulence genes, especially those involved in the botrydial biosynthesis (<italic>BcBOT</italic> genes), during the mycoparasitism interaction. The tomato defense-related genes were also affected, indicating that Epl-1 is involved in the elicitation of the salicylic acid pathway. Moreover, Epl-1 also regulates the priming effect in host tomato plants and contributes to enhance the interaction with the host tomato plant during the early stage of root colonization.</p>