Bacillus cereus AR156 activates PAMP-triggered immunity and induces a systemic acquired resistance through a NPR1-and SA-dependent signaling pathway.

Induced resistance responses play a potent role in plant defense system against pathogen attack. Bacillus cereus AR156 is a plant growth promoting rhizobacterium (PGPR) that installs induced systemic resistance (ISR) to Pseudomonas syringae pv. tomato (Pst) in Arabidopsis. Here, we show that AR156 leaf infiltration enhances disease resistance in Arabidopsis through the activation of a systemic acquired resistance (SAR). PR1 protein expression and reactive oxygen species (ROS) burst are strongly induced in plants treated with AR156 and inoculated with Pst than that in plants inoculated with Pst only. Moreover, AR156 can trigger SAR in jar1 or ein2 mutants, but not in the NahG transgenic and NPR1 mutant plants. Our results indicate that AR156-induced SAR depends on SA-signaling pathway and NPR1, but not JA and ET. Also, AR156-treated plants are able to rapidly activate MAPK signaling and FRK1 gene expression, which are involved in pathogen associated molecular pattern (PAMP)-triggered immunity (PTI). Altogether, our results indicate that AR156 can induce SAR by the SA-signaling pathways in an NPR1-dependent manner and involves multiple PTI components.