Thesis (MSc)--University of Stellenbosch, 2011. / ENGLISH ABSTRACT: Plants are constantly exposed to biotic and abiotic stress inducing factors that threaten their existence. Biotic factors such as pathogens are the cause of huge yield losses to crop plants worldwide with fungal pathogens debatably constituting the worst damage. Fungal pathogens such as Botrytis cinerea, which has a wide host range, release cell wall degrading enzymes called endopolygalacturonases (ePGs) during plant infection. These ePGs break down the pectin component of the cell wall, thus providing an entry route, as well as nutrients for the fungus. Plants have evolved mechanisms to counteract and suppress the action of the ePGs. This is achieved through the action of cell wall associated proteins called polygalacturonaseinhibiting proteins, PGIPs. PGIPs directly inhibit ePGs and their inhibitory action also prolongs the existence of longer chain oligogalacturonide residues which are believed to elicit a cascade of defence responses. In grapevine, a PGIP encoding gene, VvPGIP1, was previously isolated and characterised. VvPGIP1, as well as nine non-vinifera grapevine PGIPs have been expressed in tobacco and shown to be potent antifungal proteins that caused the transgenic tobacco to have strong resistance phenotypes against Botrytis in whole plant infection assays. Following on the tobacco study, two of the non-vinifera PGIPs were expressed in cultivars of the susceptible Vitis vinifera. Characterisation of the putative transgenic population showed that transgene integration was successful, the transgenes were being expressed and there were at least 29 transgenic lines with independent integration events. The transgenic lines were confirmed to have active PGIPs (transgene-derived) in their leaves. Crude protein extracts from 22 lines exhibited 100% inhibition against crude B. cinerea PGs (BcPGs). The plant lines with positive transgene integration, expression, independent integration events and exhibiting 100% transgene-derived PGIP activity were further selected for whole plant and detached leaf antifungal assays where they were challenged with B. cinerea. The whole plant infection assay showed that expression of the non-vinifera PGIPs in V. vinifera promotes susceptibility to B. cinerea, not resistance. This surprising result could perhaps be explained by a quicker and stronger recognition between the pathogen and the host and the stronger activation of defence responses in the host. A more active hypersensitive response in the host would benefit Botrytis being a necrotroph. The type of lesions and the onset and speed of lesion development observed on the transgenics lines versus the wild type support this possibility. Knowledge gaps with regards to the efficiency of the ePG inhibition by the nonvinifera PGIPs during infection of grapevine tissue; the potential changes that might be caused by expressing PGIPs in a grapevine host with a native PGIP with high homology to the transgenes (including potential gene silencing) and the potential impact on defence signalling and defence responses all provides further avenues of study to elucidate this very interesting phenotype further. Overall, this study provides a comprehensively characterised population of transgenic plants that provides useful resources for in vivo analysis of PGIP function in defence, where the host plant harbours a native copy of the PGIP encoding gene. / AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: Plante word voortdurend blootgestel aan biotiese en abiotiese faktore, wat stres veroorsaak en hul bestaan bedreig. Biotiese faktore, soos patogene, veroorsaak groot verliese in wêreldwye gewasopbrengste, met swampatogene wat moontlik die grootste skade veroorsaak. Swampatogene, soos Botrytis cinerea, wat ‘n wye reeks gasheerplante kan infekteer, stel selwand-afbrekende ensieme tydens plantinfeksie vry, wat as endo-poligalakturonases (ePG’s). bekend staan. Hierdie ePG’s breek die pektienkomponent van die selwand af, wat gevolglik as ‘n ingangspunt dien,asook voedingstowwe vir die swam verskaf. Plante het meganismes ontwikkel om die aktiwiteit van hierdie ePG’s te bekamp en te onderdruk. Die aktiwiteit van die selwand-geassosieërde proteïene, genaamd poligalakturonase-inhiberende proteïene (PGIP’s), speel hier ‘n rol. PGIP’s inhibeer ePG’s direk en hul inhiberende aktiwiteit verleng ook die bestaan van langketting oligogalakturoniedresidu’s, wat blykbaar ‘n kaskade van weerstandsreaksies kan inisieer. ‘n PGIP-koderende geen, VvPGIP1, is voorheen uit wingerd geïsoleer en gekarakteriseer. VvPGIP1, asook nege nie-vinifera wingerd-PGIP’s is voorheen in tabak uitgedruk en bevestig as proteïene met sterk anti-swamaktiwiteit, soos bevestig deur die bevinding dat die transgeniese tabak ‘n weerstandsfenotipe teen Botrytis in heelplant-infeksietoetse het. Ná die tabakstudie is twee van die nie-vinifera PGIP’s uitgedruk in vatbare V. vinifera-kultivars. Karakterisering van die vermeende transgeniese bevolking het getoon dat die transgeen-integrasie suksesvol was, dat die transgeen uitgedruk word en dat daar ten minste 29 transgeniese lyne met onafhanklike integrasie gebeurtenisse geskep is. Daar is verder bevestig dat die transgeniese lyne aktiewe PGIP’s (transgeen-afkomstig) in hul blare het. Ongesuiwerde proteïenekstrakte van 22 lyne het 100% inhibisie teen ‘n mengsel van ongesuiwerde B. cinerea PGs (BcPGs) getoon. Die plantlyne met positiewe transgeenintegrasie en -uitdrukking, asook onafhanklike integrasiegebeure en wat 100% transgeen-afkomstige PGIP-aktiwiteit getoon het, is verder aan heel-plant en verwyderde blaarswaminfeksies met B cinerea onderwerp. Die heelplantinfeksietoetse het getoon dat uitdrukking van nie-vinifera PGIP’s in V. vinifera ‘n toename, in plaas van ‘n afname, in vatbaarheid teen B. cinerea veroorsaak. Hierdie verbasende resultaat kan moontlik toegeskryf word aan ‘n vinniger en sterker herkenningsreaksie tussen patogeen en gasheer en die moontlike sterker stimulering van weerstandsreaksies in die gasheer. ‘n Meer aktiewe hipersensitiewe reaksie in die gasheer sal tot die voordeel van Botrytis, wat ‘n nektrotroof is, wees. Die tipe letsel, asook die aanvang en spoed van letselontwikkeling wat waargeneem is in transgeniese lyne teenoor die wilde-tipe ondersteun hierdie moontlikheid. Gapings in kennis ten opsigte van die doeltreffendheid van die ePG-inhibisie deur die nievinifera PGIP’s tydens infeksie van wingerdweefsel, die moontlike veranderinge (insluitend ‘n moontlike geenuitdowingseffek) wat veroorsaak kan word deur die uitdrukking van PGIP-gene in ‘n kultivar met ‘n inheemse en baie homoloë PGIP-geen, kon ‘n invloed op weerstandseine en weerstandsreaksies gehad het. Hierdie aspekte lewer verdere studiemoontlikhede om hierdie interessante fenotipe verder te verklaar.Algeheel lewer hierdie studie ‘n breedvoeriggekarakteriseerde bevolking trangeniese plante, wat dien as nuttige hulpbronne vir in vivoanalise van PGIP se funksie in siekteweerstandbiedendheid, veral waar die gasheerplant ‘n inheemse kopie van die PGIP-koderende geen huisves.

Made available in DSpace on 2014-06-11T19:33:40Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 0 Previous issue date: 2008-12-12Bitstream added on 2014-06-13T19:04:54Z : No. of bitstreams: 1 almeida_ej_dr_jabo.pdf: 2925633 bytes, checksum: 1794e969fffc6c2ce4cdd74354b559fc (MD5) / Coordenação de Aperfeiçoamento de Pessoal de Nível Superior (CAPES) / Fundação de Amparo à Pesquisa do Estado de São Paulo (FAPESP) / Este trabalho teve os objetivos de estudar comparativamente os caracteres morfológicos e morfométricos úteis para distinção entre Meloidogyne mayaguensis e M. incognita; quantificar os danos causados à goiabeira ‘Paluma’, em formação, por M. mayaguensis em níveis crescentes de inóculo; caracterizar o desbalanço nutricional e a fenologia da goiabeira ‘Paluma’ face à infecção pelo nematóide; avaliar a hospedabilidade de outras frutíferas e plantas invasoras a esse patógeno; estudar a flutuação populacional do nematóide em pomar de goiabeira ‘Paluma’; prospectar materiais resistentes a M. mayaguensis dentre diversos acessos de Psidium guajava e Psidium spp. e avaliar a compatibilidade desses materiais como porta-enxerto para goiabeira ‘Paluma’. Os dados indicam que a morfologia do padrão perineal e da região labial dos machos são suficientes para a distinção segura entre M. mayaguensis e M. incognita. As medidas do diâmetro do tronco, comprimento das três pernadas, massa fresca e seca da parte aérea, retirada nas podas, área de folhas individuais, comprimento, largura, número por planta e massa dos frutos foram inversamente proporcionais aos níveis de inóculo de 0, 10, 100, 1.000 e 10.000 ovos e juvenis/planta. Os teores de N, P e K decresceram de folhas sem sintomas para folhas com o sintoma leve e severo, nas análises realizadas em fevereiro e agosto. / This work had the objectives of to study the morphologic characters and useful morfometric comparatively for distinction between Meloidogyne mayaguensis and M. incognita; to quantify the damages caused to the guava 'Paluma', in growing, for M. mayaguensis in growing levels of inocula; to characterize the nutritional imbalance and the fenology of the guava 'Paluma' face to the infection for the nematode; to evaluate the host suitability of other fruitful ones and its weeds to that pathogen; to study the population fluctuation of the plant parasitic nematode in guava orchard 'Pedro Sato'; resistant material prospect to M. mayaguensis between several accesses of Psidium guajava and Psidium spp. and to evaluate the compatibility of those materials as rootstock for guava 'Paluma'. The data indicate that the morphology of the perineal pattern and of the labial area of the males they are enough for the distinction it holds between M. mayaguensis and M. incognita. The measures of the diameter of the log, length of the three blanches, fresh and dry mass of the blanches, retreat in the pruning, area of individual leaves, length, width, number for plant and mass of the fruits was inversely proportional at the levels of inocula of 0; 10; 100; 1,000 and 10,000 eggs and juveniles/plant. The tenors of N, P and K decreased of leaves without symptoms for leaves with the light and severe symptom, in the analyses accomplished in February and August. The Ca had your concentration increased with the worsening of the symptoms, in February and August and Mg only in August. Sulfur had a larger concentration in leaves without symptoms, in February. In August, the leaves with severe symptoms presented larger concentrations of S.

Made available in DSpace on 2015-03-26T12:42:06Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 1 texto completo.pdf: 1536759 bytes, checksum: edfc663b086d5a927204773326c9803e (MD5) Previous issue date: 2013-02-27 / Coordenação de Aperfeiçoamento de Pessoal de Nível Superior / Coffee leaf rust, caused by the biotrophic fungus Hemileia vastatrix, is the main phytosanitary problem of the coffee plant. The disease may cause yield losses ranging from 35 to 50% if control measures are not implemented. During the interaction with the host plant, rust fungi secrete a variety of effector proteins that modify the structure and function of the host cell allowing the biotrophic interaction. Some of these effector proteins, known as avirulence proteins (Avr), are recognized by plant proteins encoded by resistance genes, which triggers a defense response against pathogen infection. At least nine dominant genes (SH1 to SH9) that confer resistance to coffee leaf rust have been genetically identified, but despite many years of research on this pathosystem, the complementary Avr genes of H. vastatrix have not yet been identified or characterized. One approach that can be used for this purpose is to conduct an transcriptome and bioinformatics analyses in order to identify candidate genes of H. vastatrix that fulfill a set of specific criteria common to effector proteins, and their validation by conducting functional assays for effector activities. Therefore, the objectives of this study were: (i) to identify genes of H. vastatrix that encode proteins secreted during the germination of urediniospores as well as during the biotrophic interaction with the coffee plant, (ii) to express the effector gene candidates from H. vastatrix in the yeast secretion trap system (YST) in order to obtain biological confirmation of the secretion prediction made by bioinformatics tools, (iii) to analyze the genomic structure of a select group of effector gene candidates, (iv) to perform expression analysis of the identified candidates during different stages of infection; and (v) to establish a protocol for transient expression of H. vastatrix secreted proteins in coffee leaves based on the Type III Secretion System of Pseudomonas syringae pv. garcae. Initially, the secretome of germinated urediniospores of H. vastatrix was characterized by constructing a cDNA library from mRNA isolated from urediniospores germinated in vitro during 16 hours. After analysis of the ESTs using bioinformatics tools, 146 ORFs that encode secreted proteins were selected. Annotation of these proteins showed that 20% of the secretome from germinated urediniospores consists of hydrolytic enzymes and that most (67%) of the identified secreted proteins have unknown function. From the latter group of sequences, 35 complete ORFs encoding proteins sharing features with effectors from filamentous fungi and named H. vastatrix effector candidates (HvECs) were selected for further analysed. The genomic sequences of 22 of these HvECs were characterized, confirming the ORFs predicted by bioinformatics. The secretion of eight selected HvECs was confirmed in yeast and their expression analysis revealed a differential expression, which possibly occurs in coordination with the morphological changes of the pathogen during the early stages of infection. The secretome of H. vastatrix during a compatible plant-rust interaction was also characterized by a combination of Sanger sequencing and 454 pyrosequencing. This integrated approach allowed the massive sequencing of a substantial number of sequence tags (ESTs) of genes expressed at four different times during the biotrophic interaction: 48 hours, 72 hours, 9 days and 12 days after inoculation of coffee leaves with H. vastatrix. After bioinformatics analyses of these ESTs, 75 HvECs were selected and an expression analyses based on RT- PCR confirmed the fungal origin for 62 of them. 22 of these HvECs are preferentially expressed during the interaction of the fungus with the coffee plant and show distinct patterns of expression along the progress of infection. Using the pEDV system and the Type III Secretion System of P. syringae pv. garcae it was established a protocol to express transiently secreted proteins from H. vastatrix in coffee leaves established. Transient expression of HvEC-016 inside the cytoplasm of coffee plants carrying the rust resistant gene SH1, triggered a plant defense response indicating that there may have occurred a recognition of the HvEC-016 effector protein mediated by the R protein encoded by SH1. The catalog of effector gene candidates for H. vastatrix expressed during both urediniospore germination and the interaction with the coffee plant and the transient assay established in this study is an important plataform to identify additional avirulence genes from Hemileia vastatrix. / A ferrugem do cafeeiro, causada pelo fungo biotrófico Hemileia vastatrix, é o principal problema fitossanitário da cafeicultura, podendo ocasionar perdas da ordem de 35 a 50% da produção se não forem implantadas medidas de controle. Durante a interação com a planta hospedeira, os fungos causadores de ferrugens secretam um arsenal de proteínas efetoras que modificam a estrutura e a função da célula hospedeira, permitindo o estabelecimento da interação biotrófica. Algumas dessas proteínas efetoras, denominadas proteínas de avirulência (Avr), são reconhecidas por proteínas codificadas por genes de resistência, o que desencadeia uma resposta de defesa da planta contra a infecção pelo patógeno. Já foram identificados geneticamente pelo menos nove genes dominantes (SH1 a SH9) que conferem resistência à ferrugem do cafeeiro, no entanto, apesar de muitos anos de pesquisa neste patossistema, os genes Avr complementares de H. vastatrix ainda não foram identificados ou caracterizados. Uma abordagem que pode ser realizada com esta finalidade é a análise do transcriptôma e de bioinformática para identificar genes candidatos de H. vastatrix que cumpram uma lista de critérios específicos em banco de dados de sequências, seguida da validação por meio de ensaios funcionais para atividades de efetores. Diante do exposto, os objetivos desse estudo foram: (i) identificar genes de H. vastatrix que codificam proteínas secretadas, expressas durante a germinação dos urediniósporos e também durante a fase biotrófica da interação com o cafeeiro; (ii) expressar genes candidatos a efetores de H. vastatrix, utilizando o sistema armadilha de secreção em levedura YST (Yeast Secretion Trap) para confirmação biológica da predição de secreção realizada por ferramentas de bioinformática; (iii) analisar a estrutura genômica dos genes candidatos a efetores selecionados; (iv) efetuar a análise da expressão temporal dos genes identificados durante as diferentes fases da patogênese; (v) estabelecer um protocolo de expressão transiente de proteínas secretadas de H. vastatrix em folhas de cafeeiro, com base no Sistema de Secreção Tipo III de Pseudomonas syringae pv. garcae. Inicialmente, caracterizou-se o secretoma de urediniósporos germinados de H. vastatrix por meio da construção de uma biblioteca de cDNA a partir de mRNA isolado de urediniósporos germinados in vitro por 16 horas. Após análises das sequências por ferramentas de bioinformática, foram selecionadas 146 ORFs que codificam proteínas secretadas. Durante a anotação dessas sequências constatou-se que 20% do secretoma de urediniósporos germinados são constituídos por enzimas hidrolíticas e que a maioria (67%) das proteínas secretadas identificadas possui função desconhecida. A partir dessas sequências foram selecionadas 35 ORFs completas que codificam proteínas com características comuns aos efetores de fungos filamentosos, denominados genes candidatos a efetores de H. vastatrix (HvECs H. vastatrix effector candidates). Desses, 22 HvECs tiveram suas sequências genômicas caracterizadas, confirmando as ORFs preditas por bioinformática. A secreção de oito HvECs selecionados foi comprovada em levedura, e sua expressão diferenciada, que possivelmente ocorre com as mudanças morfológicas do desenvolvimento do patógeno nos estágios inicias de infecção, foi comprovada por meio RT-qPCR. Posteriormente, caracterizou-se o secretoma de H. vastatrix expresso durante uma interação compatível com o cafeeiro, por meio da combinação de sequenciamento Sanger e pirossequenciamento 454. Esta abordagem integrada permitiu o sequenciamento massivo de um substancial número de etiquetas de sequências expressas (ESTs) em folhas de café infectadas com H. vastatrix, amostradas em quatro tempos diferentes durante a fase biotrófica da interação: 48 horas, 72 horas, 9 dias e 12 dias após a inoculação. Após análises de bioinformática foram selecionados 75 genes e as análises de RT-PCR confirmaram a origem fúngica de 62 genes HvECs. Desses, 22 HvECs são preferencialmente expressos durante a interação com o cafeeiro, apresentando padrões distintos de expressão durante a fase biotrófica da interação. Adicionalmente, desenvolveu-se um protocolo de expressão transiente de proteínas secretadas de H. vastatrix em folhas de cafeeiro, por meio do sistema pEDV e do Sistema de Secreção Tipo III de P. syrigae pv. garcae. A expressão transiente do gene HvEC-016 no citoplasma de cafeeiros resistentes à ferrugem, portadores do gene SH1, desencadeou uma resposta de defesa das plantas, indicando que pode ter ocorrido o reconhecimento da proteína efetora HvEC-016 mediada pela proteína R codificada pelo gene SH1. Esse sistema de expressão transiente e o catálogo de genes candidatos a efetores de H. vastatrix expressos tanto durante a germinação dos urediniósporos como na interação com o cafeeiro, disponibilizados por esse estudo, constituem uma importante plataforma para a identificação de outros genes de avirulência de Hemileia vastatrix.

Resumo: Este trabalho teve os objetivos de estudar comparativamente os caracteres morfológicos e morfométricos úteis para distinção entre Meloidogyne mayaguensis e M. incognita; quantificar os danos causados à goiabeira 'Paluma', em formação, por M. mayaguensis em níveis crescentes de inóculo; caracterizar o desbalanço nutricional e a fenologia da goiabeira 'Paluma' face à infecção pelo nematóide; avaliar a hospedabilidade de outras frutíferas e plantas invasoras a esse patógeno; estudar a flutuação populacional do nematóide em pomar de goiabeira 'Paluma'; prospectar materiais resistentes a M. mayaguensis dentre diversos acessos de Psidium guajava e Psidium spp. e avaliar a compatibilidade desses materiais como porta-enxerto para goiabeira 'Paluma'. Os dados indicam que a morfologia do padrão perineal e da região labial dos machos são suficientes para a distinção segura entre M. mayaguensis e M. incognita. As medidas do diâmetro do tronco, comprimento das três pernadas, massa fresca e seca da parte aérea, retirada nas podas, área de folhas individuais, comprimento, largura, número por planta e massa dos frutos foram inversamente proporcionais aos níveis de inóculo de 0, 10, 100, 1.000 e 10.000 ovos e juvenis/planta. Os teores de N, P e K decresceram de folhas sem sintomas para folhas com o sintoma leve e severo, nas análises realizadas em fevereiro e agosto. / Abstract: This work had the objectives of to study the morphologic characters and useful morfometric comparatively for distinction between Meloidogyne mayaguensis and M. incognita; to quantify the damages caused to the guava 'Paluma', in growing, for M. mayaguensis in growing levels of inocula; to characterize the nutritional imbalance and the fenology of the guava 'Paluma' face to the infection for the nematode; to evaluate the host suitability of other fruitful ones and its weeds to that pathogen; to study the population fluctuation of the plant parasitic nematode in guava orchard 'Pedro Sato'; resistant material prospect to M. mayaguensis between several accesses of Psidium guajava and Psidium spp. and to evaluate the compatibility of those materials as rootstock for guava 'Paluma'. The data indicate that the morphology of the perineal pattern and of the labial area of the males they are enough for the distinction it holds between M. mayaguensis and M. incognita. The measures of the diameter of the log, length of the three blanches, fresh and dry mass of the blanches, retreat in the pruning, area of individual leaves, length, width, number for plant and mass of the fruits was inversely proportional at the levels of inocula of 0; 10; 100; 1,000 and 10,000 eggs and juveniles/plant. The tenors of N, P and K decreased of leaves without symptoms for leaves with the light and severe symptom, in the analyses accomplished in February and August. The Ca had your concentration increased with the worsening of the symptoms, in February and August and Mg only in August. Sulfur had a larger concentration in leaves without symptoms, in February. In August, the leaves with severe symptoms presented larger concentrations of S. / Orientador: Jaime Maia dos santos / Coorientador: Antonio Baldo Geraldo Martins / Banca: José Antonio Alberto da Silva / Banca: Antonio Lúcio Mello Martins / Banca: Luiz Carlos Camargo Barbosa Ferraz / Banca: João Carlos de Oliveira / Doutor

Made available in DSpace on 2015-03-26T13:42:32Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 1 texto completo.pdf: 806747 bytes, checksum: 15d877e808731540d6a5b0cb3ec099c7 (MD5) Previous issue date: 2007-03-20 / Conselho Nacional de Desenvolvimento Científico e Tecnológico / The plants resist to the infection caused by pathogens using constitutive and induced defenses. The induced defense is activated by the plants when they recognize general elicitors and effector proteins. This recognition leads to the rapid activation of the defense responses, including the synthesis of Pathogenesis-related proteins - PR proteins. There are 17 known PR-protein families (PR-1 to PR-17) that are expressed in response to pathogens and/or chemical inductors. The genes that codes for PR-1 proteins share a high sequence identity and are used as markers of the systemic acquired resistance (SAR). However the biochemical function of these proteins is still unknown. Antimicrobial activities were reported only for basic PR-1 proteins. PR-1 genes are members of gene families in many plant species. Based on sequence analysis of sequences deposited in public database the following possible PR-1 gene family members from tomato plant were identified: PR-1aP4 (accession numbers AJ011520 and M69247); P1p14 (Y08804, M69248 and 68738); PR1A1 (X71592); PR1A2 (Y08844); PR1D (AJ001627) in the NCBI database and two unigenes sequences from the Solanaceae Genomics Network database, SGN-U213451 and SGN- U220473. The genes PR-1aP4 and P1p14 and the unigenes SGN-U213451 and SGN-U220473 encode basic PR-1 proteins and the genes PR1A1, PR1A2 and PR1D encode acid proteins. The gene represented by the unigene SGN-U213451 seems encode the P14c protein, that has a reported antimicrobial activity and until this moment is not in the databases. In this work were developed essays to detect the expression of PR-1 family members by real-time PCR. The analyzed genes can be distinguished by their quantitative and qualitative expression pattern. PR-1aP4, P1p14, PR1A1 and the SGN-U213451 had a higher level of expression in younger leaves in response to A. solani; while, the gene PR1A2 was more induced in the older leaves of these plants, where severity of the disease is greater. The gene represented by the SGN-U220473 did not show induction by A. solani. The P1p14 and PR1A2 expression was induced by benzothiadiazole (commercial product Bion) and jasmonic acid, respectively. Lower gene expression levels were obtained with chemical induction showing that more refined kinetic induction essays of PR-1 genes of the tomato plant in response to chemical inductors are needed in order to establish which specific signaling molecule is able to trigger the expression of each family member. / As plantas resistem à infecção por patógenos utilizando defesas constitutivas e induzidas. A defesa induzida é ativada pelo reconhecimento pelas plantas de elicitores gerais e proteínas de avirulência do patógeno. Este reconhecimento leva à rápida ativação de respostas de defesa, que incluem a síntese de proteínas relacionadas à patogênese (proteínas PR). São conhecidas 17 famílias de proteínas PR (PR-1 a PR-17) que são expressas em resposta a patógenos e ou a indutores químicos. Os genes que codificam proteínas PR-1 constituem famílias gênicas em diversas espécies vegetais. Com base na análise de seqüências depositadas em bancos de dados foram identificados sete possíveis membros da família gênica PR-1 do tomateiro, os genes: PR-1a P4 (números de acessos: AJ011520 e M69247); P1p14 (Y08804, M69248 e 68738); PR1A1 (X71592); PR1A2 (Y08844); PR1D (AJ001627) depositados no NCBI e as seqüências de dois unigenes depositadas no SGN, o SGN-U213451 e SGN-U220473. Os genes PR-1a P4 e P1p14 e os representados pelos unigenes SGN- U213451 e SGN-U220473 codificam proteínas PR-1 básicas, enquanto os genes PR1A1, PR1A2 e PR1D codificam proteínas ácidas. O gene representado pelo unigene SGN-U213451 parece codificar a proteína P14c que apresenta atividade antimicrobiana e até o momento não está anotada nos bancos de dados. Neste trabalho, foram desenvolvidos ensaios para a detecção da expressão desses genes por PCR em tempo real em resposta à infecção por Alternaria solani e a aplicação de indutores químicos. Apenas para o gene PR1D não foi possível obter oligonucleotídeos adequados para efetuar análises específicas de expressão por PCR em tempo real. A análise da cinética de expressão demonstrou que os genes analisados podem ser diferenciados pelo seu padrão qualitativo e quantitativo de expressão. Os genes PR-1a P4, P1p14, PR1A1 e o SGN-U213451 tiveram maior indução da expressão no terço superior de plantas inoculadas com A. solani; enquanto o gene PR1A2 foi mais induzido no terço inferior destas plantas, onde a severidade da doença é maior. Já o gene representado pelo SGN- U220473 não apresentou indução após a inoculação com A. solani. A expressão dos genes P1p14 e PR1A2 foi induzida pela aplicação de benzotiadiazole (produto comercial Bion) e ácido jasmônico, respectivamente. Menores níveis de expressão dos genes foram detectados nos ensaios com indutores químicos comparativamente à indução biótica indicando que ensaios mais refinados de cinética de indução de genes PR-1 do tomateiro em resposta a indutores químicos são necessários para estabelecer quais sinais moleculares induzem a expressão de cada membro desta família.