Differential expression of phenylalanine ammonia-lyase genes in barley induced by fungal infection or elicitors

Abstract

Gene-specific probes were used to assess the expression patterns of four different phenylalanine ammonia-lyase (pal) genes in infected or elicitor-treated leaves and suspension-cultured cells of barley. Genes corresponding to hpal2, hpal3, hpal4, and hpal6 were all induced by mercuric chloride and fungal infection by Bipolaris sorokiniana Sacc. (Shoem.) in barley (Hordeum vulgare L. cv. Pokko) leaves, but with considerable variation in their expression level and timing. The expression patterns of hpal2 and hpal6 were similar, both showing a rapid, strong induction after treatment with mercuric chloride and a slower induction after fungal inoculation, whereas the more divergent hpal3 was induced at a later time and at a lower level after both treatments. Hpal4 was expressed with timing like that of hpal2 and hpal6 in infected or mercuric chloride-treated leaves but its expression was much weaker. Hpal2 and hpal4 were induced in elicitor-treated, suspension-cultured barley cells, whereas the expression of hpal3 was nearly undetectable, and hpal6 was strongly and constitutively present. All pal genes except hpal4 were developmentally regulated, but differentially expressed in various barley tissues. The results suggest that the four pal genes studied here might be responsible for the activation of different branches in the phenylpropanoid biosynthesis of barley.