The expression of the NPR1-dependent defense response pathway genes in Persea americana (Mill.) following infection with Phytophthora cinnamomi
Abstract A plant’s defense against pathogens involves an extensive set of phytohormone regulated defense signaling pathways. The salicylic acid (SA)-signaling pathway is one of the most well-studied in plant defense. The bulk of SA-related defense gene expression and the subsequent establishment of...
| Main Authors: | , , |
|---|---|
| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
| Published: |
BMC
2023-11-01
|
| Series: | BMC Plant Biology |
| Subjects: | |
| Online Access: | https://doi.org/10.1186/s12870-023-04541-z |
| _version_ | 1797630291969310720 |
|---|---|
| author | Robert Backer Sanushka Naidoo Noëlani van den Berg |
| author_facet | Robert Backer Sanushka Naidoo Noëlani van den Berg |
| author_sort | Robert Backer |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Abstract A plant’s defense against pathogens involves an extensive set of phytohormone regulated defense signaling pathways. The salicylic acid (SA)-signaling pathway is one of the most well-studied in plant defense. The bulk of SA-related defense gene expression and the subsequent establishment of systemic acquired resistance (SAR) is dependent on the nonexpressor of pathogenesis-related genes 1 (NPR1). Therefore, understanding the NPR1 pathway and all its associations has the potential to provide valuable insights into defense against pathogens. The causal agent of Phytophthora root rot (PRR), Phytophthora cinnamomi, is of particular importance to the avocado (Persea americana) industry, which encounters considerable economic losses on account of this pathogen each year. Furthermore, P. cinnamomi is a hemibiotrophic pathogen, suggesting that the SA-signaling pathway plays an essential role in the initial defense response. Therefore, the NPR1 pathway which regulates downstream SA-induced gene expression would be instrumental in defense against P. cinnamomi. Thus, we identified 92 NPR1 pathway-associated orthologs from the P. americana West Indian pure accession genome and interrogated their expression following P. cinnamomi inoculation, using RNA-sequencing data. In total, 64 and 51 NPR1 pathway-associated genes were temporally regulated in the partially resistant (Dusa®) and susceptible (R0.12) P. americana rootstocks, respectively. Furthermore, 42 NPR1 pathway-associated genes were differentially regulated when comparing Dusa® to R0.12. Although this study suggests that SAR was established successfully in both rootstocks, the evidence presented indicated that Dusa® suppressed SA-signaling more effectively following the induction of SAR. Additionally, contrary to Dusa®, data from R0.12 suggested a substantial lack of SA- and NPR1-related defense gene expression during some of the earliest time-points following P. cinnamomi inoculation. This study represents the most comprehensive investigation of the SA-induced, NPR1-dependent pathway in P. americana to date. Lastly, this work provides novel insights into the likely mechanisms governing P. cinnamomi resistance in P. americana. |
| first_indexed | 2024-03-11T11:06:15Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-2848b36e51d94cc4ba2b1c7d1a7937b0 |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 1471-2229 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-03-11T11:06:15Z |
| publishDate | 2023-11-01 |
| publisher | BMC |
| record_format | Article |
| series | BMC Plant Biology |
| spelling | doaj.art-2848b36e51d94cc4ba2b1c7d1a7937b02023-11-12T12:11:53ZengBMCBMC Plant Biology1471-22292023-11-0123112110.1186/s12870-023-04541-zThe expression of the NPR1-dependent defense response pathway genes in Persea americana (Mill.) following infection with Phytophthora cinnamomiRobert Backer0Sanushka Naidoo1Noëlani van den Berg2Hans Merensky Chair in Avocado Research, University of PretoriaDepartment of Biochemistry, Genetics and Microbiology, Faculty of Natural and Agricultural Sciences, University of PretoriaHans Merensky Chair in Avocado Research, University of PretoriaAbstract A plant’s defense against pathogens involves an extensive set of phytohormone regulated defense signaling pathways. The salicylic acid (SA)-signaling pathway is one of the most well-studied in plant defense. The bulk of SA-related defense gene expression and the subsequent establishment of systemic acquired resistance (SAR) is dependent on the nonexpressor of pathogenesis-related genes 1 (NPR1). Therefore, understanding the NPR1 pathway and all its associations has the potential to provide valuable insights into defense against pathogens. The causal agent of Phytophthora root rot (PRR), Phytophthora cinnamomi, is of particular importance to the avocado (Persea americana) industry, which encounters considerable economic losses on account of this pathogen each year. Furthermore, P. cinnamomi is a hemibiotrophic pathogen, suggesting that the SA-signaling pathway plays an essential role in the initial defense response. Therefore, the NPR1 pathway which regulates downstream SA-induced gene expression would be instrumental in defense against P. cinnamomi. Thus, we identified 92 NPR1 pathway-associated orthologs from the P. americana West Indian pure accession genome and interrogated their expression following P. cinnamomi inoculation, using RNA-sequencing data. In total, 64 and 51 NPR1 pathway-associated genes were temporally regulated in the partially resistant (Dusa®) and susceptible (R0.12) P. americana rootstocks, respectively. Furthermore, 42 NPR1 pathway-associated genes were differentially regulated when comparing Dusa® to R0.12. Although this study suggests that SAR was established successfully in both rootstocks, the evidence presented indicated that Dusa® suppressed SA-signaling more effectively following the induction of SAR. Additionally, contrary to Dusa®, data from R0.12 suggested a substantial lack of SA- and NPR1-related defense gene expression during some of the earliest time-points following P. cinnamomi inoculation. This study represents the most comprehensive investigation of the SA-induced, NPR1-dependent pathway in P. americana to date. Lastly, this work provides novel insights into the likely mechanisms governing P. cinnamomi resistance in P. americana.https://doi.org/10.1186/s12870-023-04541-zRNA-sequencingNPR1Phytophthora cinnamomiPersea americanaPathogenesis-relatedSystemic acquired resistance |
| spellingShingle | Robert Backer Sanushka Naidoo Noëlani van den Berg The expression of the NPR1-dependent defense response pathway genes in Persea americana (Mill.) following infection with Phytophthora cinnamomi BMC Plant Biology RNA-sequencing NPR1 Phytophthora cinnamomi Persea americana Pathogenesis-related Systemic acquired resistance |
| title | The expression of the NPR1-dependent defense response pathway genes in Persea americana (Mill.) following infection with Phytophthora cinnamomi |
| title_full | The expression of the NPR1-dependent defense response pathway genes in Persea americana (Mill.) following infection with Phytophthora cinnamomi |
| title_fullStr | The expression of the NPR1-dependent defense response pathway genes in Persea americana (Mill.) following infection with Phytophthora cinnamomi |
| title_full_unstemmed | The expression of the NPR1-dependent defense response pathway genes in Persea americana (Mill.) following infection with Phytophthora cinnamomi |
| title_short | The expression of the NPR1-dependent defense response pathway genes in Persea americana (Mill.) following infection with Phytophthora cinnamomi |
| title_sort | expression of the npr1 dependent defense response pathway genes in persea americana mill following infection with phytophthora cinnamomi |
| topic | RNA-sequencing NPR1 Phytophthora cinnamomi Persea americana Pathogenesis-related Systemic acquired resistance |
| url | https://doi.org/10.1186/s12870-023-04541-z |
| work_keys_str_mv | AT robertbacker theexpressionofthenpr1dependentdefenseresponsepathwaygenesinperseaamericanamillfollowinginfectionwithphytophthoracinnamomi AT sanushkanaidoo theexpressionofthenpr1dependentdefenseresponsepathwaygenesinperseaamericanamillfollowinginfectionwithphytophthoracinnamomi AT noelanivandenberg theexpressionofthenpr1dependentdefenseresponsepathwaygenesinperseaamericanamillfollowinginfectionwithphytophthoracinnamomi AT robertbacker expressionofthenpr1dependentdefenseresponsepathwaygenesinperseaamericanamillfollowinginfectionwithphytophthoracinnamomi AT sanushkanaidoo expressionofthenpr1dependentdefenseresponsepathwaygenesinperseaamericanamillfollowinginfectionwithphytophthoracinnamomi AT noelanivandenberg expressionofthenpr1dependentdefenseresponsepathwaygenesinperseaamericanamillfollowinginfectionwithphytophthoracinnamomi |