1-Octen-3-ol, a self-stimulating oxylipin messenger, can prime and induce defense of marine alga

BACKGROUND: Short chain oxylipins in plants as the main volatile organic carbon have been speculated to playing an important role for plant innate immunity, however, not yet intensively studied and far away established as the fully recognized algae defense signals. RESULTS: The production of 1-octen-3-ol is self-amplified via the fatty acid-oxylipin metabolic cycle through positive feedback loop. Production of 1-octen-3-ol may act as a messenger that induces P. haitanensis to be in a “primed” state and ready for defense by upregulating the synthesis of methyl jasmonic acid, indole-3-acetic acid, and gibberellin A3. Production of these oxylipins also adjust the redox state in cells, resulting in host defense activation. CONCLUSIONS: We provide the first demonstration that 1-octen-3-ol from P. haitanensis, can act as a self-stimulating community messenger. The multiple effects of 1-octen-3-ol may explain why P. haitanensis, a very ancient lineage within plant kingdom, thrives in the niche of intertidal zones. ELECTRONIC SUPPLEMENTARY MATERIAL: The online version of this article (10.1186/s12870-019-1642-0) contains supplementary material, which is available to authorized users.