WRKY Transcription Factors in Cassava Contribute to Regulation of Tolerance and Susceptibility to Cassava Mosaic Disease through Stress Responses

Among the numerous biological constraints that hinder cassava (<i>Manihot esculenta</i> Crantz) production, foremost is cassava mosaic disease (CMD) caused by virus members of the family <i>Geminiviridae</i>, genus <i>Begomovirus</i>. The mechanisms of CMD toleran...

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Main Authors: Warren Freeborough, Nikki Gentle, Marie E.C. Rey
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: MDPI AG 2021-09-01
Series:Viruses
Subjects:
Online Access:https://www.mdpi.com/1999-4915/13/9/1820
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author Warren Freeborough
Nikki Gentle
Marie E.C. Rey
author_facet Warren Freeborough
Nikki Gentle
Marie E.C. Rey
author_sort Warren Freeborough
collection DOAJ
description Among the numerous biological constraints that hinder cassava (<i>Manihot esculenta</i> Crantz) production, foremost is cassava mosaic disease (CMD) caused by virus members of the family <i>Geminiviridae</i>, genus <i>Begomovirus</i>. The mechanisms of CMD tolerance and susceptibility are not fully understood; however, CMD susceptible T200 and tolerant TME3 cassava landraces have been shown to exhibit different large-scale transcriptional reprogramming in response to South African cassava mosaic virus (SACMV). Recent identification of 85 MeWRKY transcription factors in cassava demonstrated high orthology with those in <i>Arabidopsis</i>, however, little is known about their roles in virus responses in this non-model crop. Significant differences in <i>MeWRKY</i> expression and regulatory networks between the T200 and TME3 landraces were demonstrated. Overall, WRKY expression and associated hormone and enriched biological processes in both landraces reflect oxidative and other biotic stress responses to SACMV. Notably, <i>MeWRKY11</i> and <i>MeWRKY81</i> were uniquely up and downregulated at 12 and 67 days post infection (dpi) respectively in TME3, implicating a role in tolerance and symptom recovery. AtWRKY28 and AtWRKY40 homologs of MeWRKY81 and MeWRKY11, respectively, have been shown to be involved in regulation of jasmonic and salicylic acid signaling in <i>Arabidopsis</i>. AtWRKY28 is an interactor in the RPW8-NBS resistance (R) protein network and downregulation of its homolog <i>MeWRKY81</i> at 67 dpi in TME3 suggests a negative role for this WRKY in SACMV tolerance. In contrast, in T200, nine <i>MeWRKY</i>s were differentially expressed from early (12 dpi), middle (32 dpi) to late (67 dpi) infection. <i>MeWRKY27</i> (homolog <i>AtWRKY</i>33) and <i>MeWRKY55</i> (homolog <i>AtWRKY53</i>) were uniquely up-regulated at 12, 32 and 67 dpi in T200. AtWRKY33 and AtWRKY53 are positive regulators of leaf senescence and oxidative stress in <i>Arabidopsis</i>, suggesting MeWRKY55 and 27 contribute to susceptibility in T200.
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spelling doaj.art-587133698efd4591809ad2d66387566b2023-11-22T15:38:28ZengMDPI AGViruses1999-49152021-09-01139182010.3390/v13091820WRKY Transcription Factors in Cassava Contribute to Regulation of Tolerance and Susceptibility to Cassava Mosaic Disease through Stress ResponsesWarren Freeborough0Nikki Gentle1Marie E.C. Rey2School of Molecular and Cell Biology, University of Witwatersrand, Johannesburg 2000, South AfricaSchool of Molecular and Cell Biology, University of Witwatersrand, Johannesburg 2000, South AfricaSchool of Molecular and Cell Biology, University of Witwatersrand, Johannesburg 2000, South AfricaAmong the numerous biological constraints that hinder cassava (<i>Manihot esculenta</i> Crantz) production, foremost is cassava mosaic disease (CMD) caused by virus members of the family <i>Geminiviridae</i>, genus <i>Begomovirus</i>. The mechanisms of CMD tolerance and susceptibility are not fully understood; however, CMD susceptible T200 and tolerant TME3 cassava landraces have been shown to exhibit different large-scale transcriptional reprogramming in response to South African cassava mosaic virus (SACMV). Recent identification of 85 MeWRKY transcription factors in cassava demonstrated high orthology with those in <i>Arabidopsis</i>, however, little is known about their roles in virus responses in this non-model crop. Significant differences in <i>MeWRKY</i> expression and regulatory networks between the T200 and TME3 landraces were demonstrated. Overall, WRKY expression and associated hormone and enriched biological processes in both landraces reflect oxidative and other biotic stress responses to SACMV. Notably, <i>MeWRKY11</i> and <i>MeWRKY81</i> were uniquely up and downregulated at 12 and 67 days post infection (dpi) respectively in TME3, implicating a role in tolerance and symptom recovery. AtWRKY28 and AtWRKY40 homologs of MeWRKY81 and MeWRKY11, respectively, have been shown to be involved in regulation of jasmonic and salicylic acid signaling in <i>Arabidopsis</i>. AtWRKY28 is an interactor in the RPW8-NBS resistance (R) protein network and downregulation of its homolog <i>MeWRKY81</i> at 67 dpi in TME3 suggests a negative role for this WRKY in SACMV tolerance. In contrast, in T200, nine <i>MeWRKY</i>s were differentially expressed from early (12 dpi), middle (32 dpi) to late (67 dpi) infection. <i>MeWRKY27</i> (homolog <i>AtWRKY</i>33) and <i>MeWRKY55</i> (homolog <i>AtWRKY53</i>) were uniquely up-regulated at 12, 32 and 67 dpi in T200. AtWRKY33 and AtWRKY53 are positive regulators of leaf senescence and oxidative stress in <i>Arabidopsis</i>, suggesting MeWRKY55 and 27 contribute to susceptibility in T200.https://www.mdpi.com/1999-4915/13/9/1820geminivirusSouth African cassava mosaic virusWRKY transcription factorsphytohormonescassava mosaic diseasetolerance
spellingShingle Warren Freeborough
Nikki Gentle
Marie E.C. Rey
WRKY Transcription Factors in Cassava Contribute to Regulation of Tolerance and Susceptibility to Cassava Mosaic Disease through Stress Responses
Viruses
geminivirus
South African cassava mosaic virus
WRKY transcription factors
phytohormones
cassava mosaic disease
tolerance
title WRKY Transcription Factors in Cassava Contribute to Regulation of Tolerance and Susceptibility to Cassava Mosaic Disease through Stress Responses
title_full WRKY Transcription Factors in Cassava Contribute to Regulation of Tolerance and Susceptibility to Cassava Mosaic Disease through Stress Responses
title_fullStr WRKY Transcription Factors in Cassava Contribute to Regulation of Tolerance and Susceptibility to Cassava Mosaic Disease through Stress Responses
title_full_unstemmed WRKY Transcription Factors in Cassava Contribute to Regulation of Tolerance and Susceptibility to Cassava Mosaic Disease through Stress Responses
title_short WRKY Transcription Factors in Cassava Contribute to Regulation of Tolerance and Susceptibility to Cassava Mosaic Disease through Stress Responses
title_sort wrky transcription factors in cassava contribute to regulation of tolerance and susceptibility to cassava mosaic disease through stress responses
topic geminivirus
South African cassava mosaic virus
WRKY transcription factors
phytohormones
cassava mosaic disease
tolerance
url https://www.mdpi.com/1999-4915/13/9/1820
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