Endogenous
peptides regulate plant immunity and growth.
Systemin, a
peptide specific to the Solanaceae, is known for its functions in plant responses to insect herbivory and pathogen
infections. Here, we describe the identification of the tomato (Solanum lycopersicum) PEPR1/2 ORTHOLOG RECEPTOR-LIKE KINASE1 (PORK1) as the TOMATO
PROTEIN KINASE1b (TPK1b) interacting
protein and demonstrate its
biological functions in
systemin signaling and tomato immune responses. Tomato PORK1 RNA interference (RNAi) plants with significantly reduced PORK1 expression showed increased susceptibility to tobacco hornworm (Manduca sexta), reduced seedling growth sensitivity to the
systemin peptide, and compromised
systemin-mediated resistance to Botrytis cinerea.
Systemin-induced expression of
Proteinase Inhibitor II (PI-II), a classical marker for
systemin signaling, was abrogated in PORK1 RNAi plants. Similarly, in response to
systemin and wounding, the expression of
jasmonate pathway genes was attenuated in PORK1 RNAi plants. TPK1b, a key regulator of tomato defense against B. cinerea and M. sexta, was phosphorylated by PORK1. Interestingly, wounding- and
systemin-induced phosphorylation of TPK1b was attenuated when PORK1 expression was suppressed. Our data suggest that resistance to B. cinerea and M. sexta is dependent on PORK1-mediated responses to
systemin and subsequent phosphorylation of TPK1b. Altogether, PORK1 regulates tomato
systemin, wounding, and immune responses.