Comparative Analysis of Induction of Pr-1 Protein between Acibenzolar-S-Methyl Treatment and Virus Infection by TSWV and TYLCV in Solanum lycopersicum L.

Acibenzolar-S-methyl (ASM) is a functional analogue of salicylic acid involved in the mechanism of the systemic acquired resistance (SAR). In our study we assessed the production, in Solanum lycopersicum L., of proteins involved in the defence mechanism induced by ASM treatment, compared with plants infected by Tomato yellow leaf curl Sardinia virus (TYLCSV) and Tomato spotted wilt virus (TSWV), respectively. Protein extracts were analysed by Sodium Dodecyl Sulphate - PolyAcrylamide Gel Electrophoresis (SDS-PAGE). Protein bands were excised, digested with trypsin and successively analysed by MALDI-TOF mass spectrometry. Results showed that ASM-treatment induced the production of the pathogenesis-related protein PR-1 (AC ABA41593) in dose-dependent manner. Moreover, ASM mimics the process of infection caused by plant TSW and TYLCS viruses inducing the production of the same PR-1 protein.