Scopoletin Production Related to Induced Resistance of Tobacco Plants Against Tobacco mosaic virus

A fluorescent material was accumulated in inoculated leaves showing necrotic local lesions of tobacco plants with N gene, Nicotiana tabacum cvs. Xanthi-nc NN, Samsun NN, Burley 21 and KF 114, and N. glutinosa, and Datura stramonium at the early growth stages by the inoculation of Tobacco mosaic virus (TMV). It was identified as a coumarin phytoalexin, scopoletin. Although the material was most prominently produced in TMV-inoculated tobacco leaves with local necrotic lesions, its accumulation was also noted in uninoculated leaves of TMV-inoculated plants. Its accumulation was somewhat greater in high resistance-induced leaves than low resistance-induced and intact leaves. Scopoletin treatment induced the expression of a pathogenesis-related protein, PR-1, prominently at the concentration of 500 or 1000 ${\mu}$g/ml. This suggests that scopoletin is a phytoalexin abundantly accumulating in N gene-containing resistant plants in response to TMV infection, and may be related to hypersensitive responses (HR) and systemic acquired resistance (SAR) in the resistant tobacco plants.