Spatiotemporal imaging analysis of syncytium formation process induced by Heterodera glycines using two-photon excitation microscopy
M. OHTSU (1), T. Suzaki (2), Y. Sato (3), D. Kurihara (4), M. Kawaguchi (5), D. Maruyama (3), T. Higashiyama (3) (1) Graduate School of Science, Nagoya University, Japan; (2) Gene Research Center, Tsukuba University, Japan; (3) WPI-ITbM, Nagoya University, Japan; (4) JST ERATO, Nagoya University, Japan; (5) National Institute for Basic Biology, Japan

Sedentary root endoparasitic nematodes, including root-knot nematode and cyst nematode, are major legume pests, and soybean cyst nematode (Heterodera glycines) is known as the major pathogen of soybean (Glycine max). The cyst nematodes invade into the vicinity of the vascular cylinder and secrete small molecules called effectors to disrupt defense response. And they induce a specific feeding structure called syncytium, a large multinucleate cell formed by cell wall dissolution-mediated cell fusions. To visualize legume plant and cyst nematode interaction in plant, we established in planta spatiotemporal imaging system for thick legume root using two-photon excitation microscopy (2PEM) and monitored the infection process of H. glycines and syncytium development. Unexpectedly, we found that periclinal cell walls at the vicinity of the syncytium were deformed to make unique “pillar-like structures” and there was specific pattern of cell wall dissolution induced by H. glycines. These structures are not observed in old histological analyses. We discuss the involvement of the pillar-like structures in syncytium formation. These results provide the first insight about 3D information of syncytium during H. glycines infection.    

Abstract Number: P7-198
Session Type: Poster