Identification of a cytochrome P450 cDNA (CYP98A5) from Phaseolus vulgaris, inducible by 3,5-dichlorosalicylic acid and 2,6-dichloro isonicotinic acid

To investigate the involvement of cytochrome P450s in the metabolism of plants treated with xenobiotic agrochemicals, bean leaves were treated with 3,5-dichlorosalicylic acid (DC-SA), a priming agent of plant defense and 2,6-dichloroisonicotinic acid (DC-INA), a chemical inducer of systemic acquired resistance. Through the use of directed differential display reverse transcription polymerase chain reactions, a differentially expressed cDNA amplicon, found to be up-regulated by both DC-SA and DC-INA treatment, was identified as a cytochrome P450 cDNA, CYP98A5. The nucleotide sequence indicates extensive homology to 3′-hydroxylases of p-coumaroyl esters. Dot blot analysis of leaves treated with various SA and isonicotinic acid derivatives showed enhanced expression of CYP98A5 due to DC-SA and DC-INA. Northern blot analysis of a time-dependent induction study of CYP98A5 in treated bean leaves indicated that DC-SA induces CYP98A5 mRNA transcripts earlier than DC-INA. Both inducers resulted in high transcript levels 24–48 h after treatment. The up-regulation of CYP98A5 is supportive of the conditioning and sensitizing effects of DC-SA and DC-INA to elicit a more rapid and effective defense response.