Phospholipid signaling pathway in Capsicum chinense suspension cells as a key response to a consortium infection

Abstract Mexico is considered to be a diversification center for the chili species, but at the same time, these crops have been susceptible to infection by pathogens, such as Colletotrichum, which causes anthracnose diseases and postharvest decay in general. Different studies have been carried out with isolated strains of Colletotrichum in Capsicum plants, however, under growing conditions, the microorganisms are interacting with others, which can increase or decrease their infective capacity. This study presents the first report between plant-pathogen interactions and their biochemical responses in phospholipid pathways for C. chinense to microbial consortium with mainly Colletotrichum ignotum pathogen. The results showed morphological changes in the first hours (h) in the presence of the microbial consortium, and high levels of diacylglycerol pyrophosphate (DGPP) and phosphatidic acid (PA) were found after 6 h postinoculation (hai). These metabolic changes were correlated with high transcription levels of diacylglycerol-kinase (CchDGKs) expressed for 3, 6 and 12 hai and related to pathogen gene markers, such as CchPR1 and CchPR5. Finally, this study shows how the phospholipase C/DGK (PLC/DGK) pathway offers insight into the microbial infection responses of chili crops with damping-off diseases in the Yucatan.