Herbivore-induced wounding can elicit a defense response in plants. However, whether plants possess a surveillance system capable of detecting herbivore threats and initiating preparatory defenses before wounding occurs remains unclear. In this study, we reveal that tomato (Solanum lycopersicum) trichomes can detect and respond to the mechanical stimuli generated by herbivores. Mechanical stimuli are preferentially perceived by long trichomes, and this mechanosensation is transduced via intra-trichome communication. This communication presumably involves calcium waves, and the transduced signals activate the jasmonic acid signaling pathway in short glandular trichomes, resulting in the upregulation of the Woolly (Wo)-SlMYC1 regulatory module for terpene biosynthesis. This induced defense mechanism provides plants with an early warning system against the threat of herbivore invasion. Our findings represent a perspective on the role of multicellular trichomes in plant defense and the underlying intra-trichome communication.

中文翻译：

---

不同的多细胞毛状体类型协调番茄中的食草动物机械感应和防御


食草动物诱导的伤害可以在植物中引起防御反应。然而，植物是否拥有能够检测食草动物威胁并在受伤发生之前启动准备防御的监控系统仍不清楚。在这项研究中，我们揭示了番茄 （Solanum lycopersicum） 毛状体可以检测并响应食草动物产生的机械刺激。机械刺激优先被长毛状体感知，这种机械感觉是通过毛状体内通讯转导的。这种通讯可能涉及钙波，转导信号激活短腺毛状体中的茉莉酸信号通路，导致萜烯生物合成的 Woolly （Wo）-SlMYC1 调节模块上调。这种诱导防御机制为植物提供了针对食草动物入侵威胁的早期预警系统。我们的研究结果代表了多细胞毛状体在植物防御中的作用和潜在的毛状体内通讯的观点。