Pathological and molecular characterizations of alfalfa interactions with compatible and incompatible bacteria, Xanthomonas campestris pv. alfalfae and Pseudomonas syringae pv. pisi.

We report on the interactions of alfalfa with Xanthomonas campestris pv. alfalfae and Pseudomonas syringae pv. pisi. A hypersensitive response was observed when leaves were infiltrated with P. s. pv. pisi, which remained strictly limited to the injected zone. The compatible interaction with X. c. pv. alfalfae was characterized by water-soaking symptoms and the spreading of the bacterium into the leaf blade. Analyses of transcript accumulation were conducted with cDNAs encoding enzymes involved in phytoalexin synthesis: chalcone synthase (CHS), chalcone isomerase (CHI), and isoflavone reductase (IFR). In incompatible interactions the maximum accumulation of the CHS, CHI, and IFR transcripts was observed 6 hr postinfection. In the compatible interaction, the induction of these transcripts was delayed until 25-30 hr postinfection, and the level of their accumulation was considerably lower. Extending this molecular analysis to the root system showed that the reaction of roots during an incompatible interaction was quite comparable to that of leaves. To complete these analyses, expression of genes encoding pathogenesis-related (PR) proteins in leaves was also analyzed by polymerase chain reaction. High-level accumulation of a 0.8-kb transcript encoding a PR protein was observed 6 to 30 hr postinfection in the incompatible interaction.