The Pto kinase conferring resistance to tomato bacterial speck disease interacts with proteins that bind a cis‐element of pathogenesis‐related genes

In tomato, the Pto kinase confers resistance to bacterial speck disease by recognizing the expression of a corresponding avirulence gene, avrPto, in the pathogen Pseudomonas syringae pv. tomato. Using the yeast two‐hybrid system, we have identified three genes, Pti4, Pti5 and Pti6, that encode proteins that physically interact with the Pto kinase. Pti4/5/6 each encode a protein with characteristics that are typical of transcription factors and are similar to the tobacco ethylene‐responsive element‐binding proteins (EREBPs). Using a gel mobility‐shift assay, we demonstrate that, similarly to EREBPs, Pti4/5/6 specifically recognize and bind to a DNA sequence that is present in the promoter region of a large number of genes encoding ‘pathogenesis‐related’ (PR) proteins. Expression of several PR genes and a tobacco EREBP gene is specifically enhanced upon Pto–avrPto recognition in tobacco. These observations establish a direct connection between a disease resistance gene and the specific activation of plant defense genes.

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