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The effect of chitooligosaccharides (ChOSs) with an acetylation degree (AD) of 65% and 30% on the formation of defense reactions of potato plants (Solanum tuberosum L.) against Phytophthora infestans (Mont.) De Bary is studied. The content of hydrogen peroxide, the activities of peroxidases, allene oxide synthase, and hydrolase inhibitors, and the transcriptional rate of pathogenesis-related (PR) proteins are studied. ChOSs with an AD of 65% reduced the degree of late blight symptoms on the leaves of potato plants via the stimulation of H2O2 accumulation and the transcriptional activity of genes encoding peroxidase (M21334), chitinase (U49969.1), and inhibitors of amylase (XM006351484) and proteinase (JX683427). It is found that ChOSs with an AD of 30% induced the activity of anionic isoperoxidases with a pI of ~3.5-4.5 in infected plants. The mechanisms of potato resistance to Phytophthora infestans formed under the influence of different ChOSs are discussed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Beneficial endophytic bacteria can suppress the development of insect pests through direct antagonism, with the help of metabolites, or indirectly by the induction of systemic resistance through the regulation of hormonal signaling pathways. Lipopeptides are bacterial metabolites that exhibit direct antagonistic activity against many organisms, including insects. Also, lipopeptides are able to trigger induced systemic resistance (ISR) in plants against harmful organisms, but the physiological mechanisms of their action are just beginning to be studied. In this work, we studied ten strains of bacteria isolated from the tissues of wheat and potatoes. Sequencing of the 16S rRNA gene showed that all isolates belong to the genus Bacillus and to two species, B. subtilis and B. velezensis. The genes for lipopeptide synthetase - surfactin synthetase (Bs_srf ), iturin synthetase (Bs_ituA, Bs_ituB) and fengycin synthetase (Bs_fenD) - were identified in all bacterial isolates using PCR. All strains had high aphicidal activity against the Greenbug aphid (Schizaphis graminum Rond.) due to the synthesis of lipopeptides, which was proven using lipopeptide-rich fractions (LRFs) isolated from the strains. Endophytic lipopeptide-synthesizing strains of Bacillus spp. indirectly affected the viability of aphids, the endurance of plants against aphids and triggered ISR in plants, which manifested itself in the regulation of oxidative metabolism and the accumulation of transcripts of the Pr1, Pr2, Pr3, Pr6 and Pr9 genes due to the synthesis of lipopeptides, which was proven using LRF isolated from three strains: B. subtilis 26D, B. subtilis 11VM, and B. thuringiensis B-6066. We have for the first time demonstrated the aphicidal effect of fengycin and the ability of the fengycin-synthesizing strains and isolates, B. subtilis Ttl2, Bacillus sp. Stl7 and B. thuringiensis B-6066, to regulate components of the pro-/antioxidant system of aphid-infested plants. In addition, this work is the first to demonstrate an elicitor role of fengycin in triggering a systemic resistance to S. graminum in wheat plants. We have discovered new promising strains and isolates of endophytes of the genus Bacillus, which may be included in the composition of new biocontrol agents against aphids. One of the criteria for searching for new bacteria active against phloem-feeding insects can be the presence of lipopeptide synthetase genes in the bacterial genome., Competing Interests: The authors declare no conflict of interest., (Copyright © AUTHORS.)

RNA interference is a gene silencing mechanism that plays an important role in genetic regulation in a number of eukaryotes. Argonaute (AGO) proteins are central to the complex RNA interference system. However, their role in this mechanism, both in the host plant organism and in the pathogen, has not yet been fully elucidated. In this work, we identified and phylogenetically analyzed the SnAGO1, SnAGO2, SnAGO3, and SnAGO18 genes of the pathogenic fungus Stagonospora nodorum Berk., and analyzed their expression under conditions of infection of plants with varying degrees of resistance to the pathogen. The expression level against the background of plant immunization with the resistance inducers salicylic and jasmonic acids was assessed. In addition, the activity of these genes in the culture of the fungus in vitro was studied under the direct influence of resistance inducers on the mycelium of the fungus. Earlier activation of the SnAGO genes in in vitro culture under the influence of salicylic and jasmonic acids suggests their sensitivity to it. In an in vivo system, plant immunization to induce the accumulation of pathogen SnAGO transcripts was found. At the same time, the SnAGO genes of the fungus S. nodorum, when interacting with plant cells, reacted depending on the degree of host resistance: the highest level of transcripts in the resistant variety was observed. Thus, our data prove that the SnAGO genes of the fungus S. nodorum effectively interact with the host defense system in direct proportion to the degree of resistance of the latter to the pathogen. It was proposed to use the ratio of the transcriptional activity of the fungal reference gene SnTub to the host TaRLI gene as a marker of disease development in the initial period of the infectious process., Competing Interests: The authors declare no conflict of interest., (Copyright © AUTHORS.)

The influence of salicylic (SA) and jasmonic (JA) acids as signaling systems mediators on the generation of H2O2 and expression of genes encoding protective proteins was studied in the leaves of wheat Triticum aestivum L. upon infection with the pathogen of septoriosis Septoria nodorum Berk. It was found that presowing treatment of seeds with SA and JA decreased the development of the fungus on the leaves of wheat and had a stimulating effect on the production of H2O2 in the area of infection. An increased expression of genes encoding oxalate oxidase AJ556991.1 and anionic peroxidase TC 151917 was shown in infected tissues with the method of polymerase chain reaction.