The novel peptide TIP12 identified from tomato triggers immune responses and enhances resistance against Botrytis cinerea in a broad-spectrum of plant species

Small secreted peptides, functioning as damage-associated molecular patterns (DAMPs), play vital roles in regulating various processes, including stress and immune responses. However, the identification of small secretory peptides in tomato remains limited. In this study, we employed bioinformatics tools to identify a conserved family of small secretory peptides in tomato, designated as tomato immunity peptides (TIPs). Our experiments revealed that the exogenous application of a specific TIP member, TIP12, can induce a pathogen-associated molecular pattern (PAMP)-triggered immunity (PTI) response in tomato, thereby enhancing its resistance to gray mold disease. Further validation using virus-induced gene silencing technology confirmed the intrinsic immune function of TIP12 in tomato. Transcriptome analysis indicated that TIP12 is involved in the regulation of multiple immune-related pathways. Additionally, TIP12 displays extensive functional roles across the plant kingdom, with activity observed not only in the Solanaceae family, such as pepper and tobacco, but also in other plant families, including cucumber (Cucurbitaceae) and canola (Brassicaceae). Thus, SlTIP12 may serve as a novel DAMP and play a crucial role in enhancing pathogen resistance, presenting an effective target for the development of new disease management strategies.