Genotype-dependent responses to HIPV exposure in citrus: repression of CsPUB21 and activation of SA/JA signaling

Herbivore-induced plant volatiles (HIPVs) are known to activate immune signaling in plants; however, their effectiveness can vary depending on the genotype and the signaling pathway involved. In this study, we evaluated the transcriptional response of four citrus rootstocks (Carrizo citrange, Forner...

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Main Authors: Raúl Ortells-Fabra, Carolina Gallego-Giraldo, Maria Angeles Forner-Giner, Alberto Urbaneja, Meritxell Pérez-Hedo
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Frontiers Media S.A. 2025-06-01
Series:Frontiers in Plant Science
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Online Access:https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fpls.2025.1605151/full
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author Raúl Ortells-Fabra
Carolina Gallego-Giraldo
Maria Angeles Forner-Giner
Alberto Urbaneja
Meritxell Pérez-Hedo
author_facet Raúl Ortells-Fabra
Carolina Gallego-Giraldo
Maria Angeles Forner-Giner
Alberto Urbaneja
Meritxell Pérez-Hedo
author_sort Raúl Ortells-Fabra
collection DOAJ
description Herbivore-induced plant volatiles (HIPVs) are known to activate immune signaling in plants; however, their effectiveness can vary depending on the genotype and the signaling pathway involved. In this study, we evaluated the transcriptional response of four citrus rootstocks (Carrizo citrange, Forner-Alcaide 5 (FA5), Forner-Alcaide 74 (FA74), and Microcitrus australasica) to six synthetic HIPVs [(Z)-3-hexen-1-ol, (Z)-3-hexenyl acetate, (Z)-3-hexenyl butyrate, (Z)-3-hexenyl propanoate, methyl jasmonate, and methyl salicylate]. We focused on genes associated with the salicylic acid (SA) and jasmonic acid (JA) pathways, as well as the susceptibility gene CsPUB21. Overall, the SA pathway was more consistently activated than the JA pathway, with upstream and intermediate genes induced across most genotypes and treatments. In contrast, downstream markers showed more variable expression, suggesting that synthetic HIPVs may induce a primed rather than fully activated defense state. Among the volatiles tested, (Z)-3-hexenyl propanoate and (Z)-3-hexen-1-ol were the most effective, activating genes in both pathways. Importantly, these two compounds also consistently repressed CsPUB21 expression, a gene recently associated with huanglongbing (HLB) susceptibility, through coordinated transcriptional and post-translational regulation. Carrizo citrange showed the strongest transcriptional response, while FA74 exhibited more moderate activation, emphasizing the influence of genetic background on HIPV perception and signaling. These findings highlight the potential of selected synthetic HIPVs as sustainable defense priming agents capable of enhancing citrus immunity by simultaneously activating immune pathways and repressing susceptibility genes such as CsPUB21. This dual mode of action offers promising tools for the integrated management of HLB and other citrus diseases.
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spelling doaj-art-2d7970db0f3e495b89a2b638f07bf8ed2025-08-20T02:20:37ZengFrontiers Media S.A.Frontiers in Plant Science1664-462X2025-06-011610.3389/fpls.2025.16051511605151Genotype-dependent responses to HIPV exposure in citrus: repression of CsPUB21 and activation of SA/JA signalingRaúl Ortells-Fabra0Carolina Gallego-Giraldo1Maria Angeles Forner-Giner2Alberto Urbaneja3Meritxell Pérez-Hedo4Instituto Valenciano de Investigaciones Agrarias (IVIA), Centro de Protección Vegetal y Biotecnología, Unidad de Entomología, Moncada, SpainInstituto Valenciano de Investigaciones Agrarias (IVIA), Centro de Protección Vegetal y Biotecnología, Unidad de Entomología, Moncada, SpainInstituto Valenciano de Investigaciones Agrarias (IVIA), Centro de Citricultura y Producción Vegetal, Moncada, SpainInstituto Valenciano de Investigaciones Agrarias (IVIA), Centro de Protección Vegetal y Biotecnología, Unidad de Entomología, Moncada, SpainInstituto de Biología Molecular y Celular de Plantas (IBMCP), Consejo Superior de Investigaciones Científicas, Universitat Politècnica de València, Valencia, SpainHerbivore-induced plant volatiles (HIPVs) are known to activate immune signaling in plants; however, their effectiveness can vary depending on the genotype and the signaling pathway involved. In this study, we evaluated the transcriptional response of four citrus rootstocks (Carrizo citrange, Forner-Alcaide 5 (FA5), Forner-Alcaide 74 (FA74), and Microcitrus australasica) to six synthetic HIPVs [(Z)-3-hexen-1-ol, (Z)-3-hexenyl acetate, (Z)-3-hexenyl butyrate, (Z)-3-hexenyl propanoate, methyl jasmonate, and methyl salicylate]. We focused on genes associated with the salicylic acid (SA) and jasmonic acid (JA) pathways, as well as the susceptibility gene CsPUB21. Overall, the SA pathway was more consistently activated than the JA pathway, with upstream and intermediate genes induced across most genotypes and treatments. In contrast, downstream markers showed more variable expression, suggesting that synthetic HIPVs may induce a primed rather than fully activated defense state. Among the volatiles tested, (Z)-3-hexenyl propanoate and (Z)-3-hexen-1-ol were the most effective, activating genes in both pathways. Importantly, these two compounds also consistently repressed CsPUB21 expression, a gene recently associated with huanglongbing (HLB) susceptibility, through coordinated transcriptional and post-translational regulation. Carrizo citrange showed the strongest transcriptional response, while FA74 exhibited more moderate activation, emphasizing the influence of genetic background on HIPV perception and signaling. These findings highlight the potential of selected synthetic HIPVs as sustainable defense priming agents capable of enhancing citrus immunity by simultaneously activating immune pathways and repressing susceptibility genes such as CsPUB21. This dual mode of action offers promising tools for the integrated management of HLB and other citrus diseases.https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fpls.2025.1605151/fulljasmonic acid signalingsalicylic acid pathwayCsPUB21volatile organic compoundsdefense gene expressionbiotic stress
spellingShingle Raúl Ortells-Fabra
Carolina Gallego-Giraldo
Maria Angeles Forner-Giner
Alberto Urbaneja
Meritxell Pérez-Hedo
Genotype-dependent responses to HIPV exposure in citrus: repression of CsPUB21 and activation of SA/JA signaling
Frontiers in Plant Science
jasmonic acid signaling
salicylic acid pathway
CsPUB21
volatile organic compounds
defense gene expression
biotic stress
title Genotype-dependent responses to HIPV exposure in citrus: repression of CsPUB21 and activation of SA/JA signaling
title_full Genotype-dependent responses to HIPV exposure in citrus: repression of CsPUB21 and activation of SA/JA signaling
title_fullStr Genotype-dependent responses to HIPV exposure in citrus: repression of CsPUB21 and activation of SA/JA signaling
title_full_unstemmed Genotype-dependent responses to HIPV exposure in citrus: repression of CsPUB21 and activation of SA/JA signaling
title_short Genotype-dependent responses to HIPV exposure in citrus: repression of CsPUB21 and activation of SA/JA signaling
title_sort genotype dependent responses to hipv exposure in citrus repression of cspub21 and activation of sa ja signaling
topic jasmonic acid signaling
salicylic acid pathway
CsPUB21
volatile organic compounds
defense gene expression
biotic stress
url https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fpls.2025.1605151/full
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AT mariaangelesfornerginer genotypedependentresponsestohipvexposureincitrusrepressionofcspub21andactivationofsajasignaling
AT albertourbaneja genotypedependentresponsestohipvexposureincitrusrepressionofcspub21andactivationofsajasignaling
AT meritxellperezhedo genotypedependentresponsestohipvexposureincitrusrepressionofcspub21andactivationofsajasignaling