Fig. 9.
Effects of ClMPK1, ClMPK4-2, ClMAK6, ClMPK7 and ClMKK2-2 on systemic resistance to B. cinerea and the expression of defense-related genes. Agrobacteria harboring constructs containing ClMPK1, ClMPK4-2, ClMPK6, ClMPK7, ClMKK2-2 or eGFP (a negative control) were infiltrated into one half of 4-week-old N. benthamiana leaves and the agroinfiltrated leaves were collected for disease assays with B. cinerea. Disease assays were performed by dropping 5 μL of spore suspension (1 × 105 spores/mL) onto the opposite half of the leaves at 2 days after agroinfiltration. Photos for disease phenotype a were taken and lesion sizes b were measured at 4 days after inoculation. c Expression of defense-related genes in ClMPK1-, ClMPK4-2-, ClMPK6-, ClMPK7- and ClMKK2-2-transiently expressed leaves. Leaf samples were collected at 24 h after agroinfiltration and relative expressions are shown as folds of the actin transcript level. Data presented in b and c are the means ± SD from three independent experiments and ** on the columns indicate significant difference at p ≤ 0.05 between ClMPK/ClMKK- and eGFP-infiltrated plants