Involvement of the glutamate receptor AtGLR3.3 in plant defense signaling and resistance to Hyaloperonospora arabidopsidis

Like their animal counterparts, plant glutamate receptor-like (GLR) homologs are intimately associated with Ca2+ influx through plasma membrane and participate in various physiological processes. In pathogen-associated molecular patterns (PAMP)-/elicitor-mediated resistance, Ca2+ fluxes are necessary for activating downstream signaling events related to plant defense. In this study, oligogalacturonides (OGs), which are endogenous elicitors derived from cell wall degradation, were used to investigate the role of Arabidopsis GLRs in defense signaling. Pharmacological investigations indicated that GLRs are partly involved in free cytosolic [Ca2+] ([Ca2+](cyt)) variations, nitric oxide (NO) production, reactive oxygen species (ROS) production and expression of defense-related genes by OGs. In addition, wild-type Col-0 plants treated with the glutamate-receptor antagonist 6,7-dinitriquinoxaline-2,3-dione (DNQX) had a compromised resistance to Botrytis cinerea and Hyaloperonospora arabidopsidis. Moreover, we provide genetic evidence that AtGLR3.3 is a key component of resistance against H.arabidopsidis. In addition, some OGs-triggered immune events such as defense gene expression, NO and ROS production are also to different extents dependent on AtGLR3.3. Taken together, these data provide evidence for the involvement of GLRs in elicitor/pathogen-mediated plant defense signaling pathways in Arabidopsis thaliana.