Pseudozyma aphidis Suppresses Microbe-Associated Molecular Pattern (MAMP)-Triggered Callose Deposition and Can Penetrate Leaf Tissue

Beneficial microorganisms need to overcome the plant defense system to establish on or within plant tissues. Like pathogens, beneficial microbes can manipulate a plant’s immunity pathways, first by suppressing and hiding to establish on the host and then by inducing resistance to protect the plant. In the current study, we demonstrated that although Pseudozyma aphidis can activate microbe-associated molecular pattern (MAMP)-associated genes, it does not activate MAMP-triggered callose deposition and can, moreover, suppress such deposition triggered by Flg22 or chitin. While MAMP-associated gene activation by P. aphidis was not dependent on salicylic acid, jasmonic acid, or ethylene signaling, suppression of MAMP-triggered callose deposition required the salicylic acid and jasmonic acid signaling factors JAR1-1 and E3 ubiquitin ligase COI1 yet did not rely on EIN2, NPR1, or the transcription factor JIN1/MYC2. We also demonstrated the ability of P. aphidis, known to be an epiphytic yeast-like organism, to penetrate the stomata and establish within plant tissues, as do endophytes. These results thus demonstrate the potential of P. aphidis to suppress MAMP-elicited defenses in order to establish on and within host plant tissues. IMPORTANCE Our study demonstrates the ability of P. aphidis to penetrate into plant tissues, where it avoids and overcomes plant defense systems in order to establish and subsequently protect the plant.