Extracellular DNA: a novel elicitor in agriculture

Abstract

Plants, being sessile organisms, use the recognition of molecules called elicitors to act in different stress situations. These elicitors are a diverse group of molecules of biogenic origin that include proteins, polysaccharides, and lipopolysaccharides, among others. These molecules are capable of modifying physiological, metabolic, and genetic responses to achieve an appropriate response to events that cause a cellular imbalance such as physical damage, infections, or other alterations. Extracellular DNA (eDNA) has been recognized as a relevant plant elicitor in recent years due to the effect caused when it is applied in different doses, so its study has become a priority issue. For this reason, this work includes an overview of the different types of elicitors used in the agricultural industry, emphasizing studies that include eDNA as a plant elicitor. In addition, a perspective of using eDNA as a possible elicitor of beneficial microorganisms is included, which generates new research areas that will benefit the development of this technology.