Genome-wide profiling of sRNAs in the Verticillium dahliae-infected Arabidopsis roots

Abstract

Small RNAs (sRNAs, including small interfering RNAs [siRNAs] and micro RNAs [miRNAs]) are key mediators of RNA silencing (or RNA interference), which play important roles in plant development and response to biotic and abiotic stimulation. Verticillium wilt is a plant vascular disease caused by the soil-borne fungal pathogens, such as Verticillium dahliae. We previously reported that V. dahliae infection increased two plant endogenous miRNAs that were exported to fungal cell to silence virulence genes. To investigate plant sRNAs in genome-wide response to V. dahliae infection, in this study, we constructed two sRNA libraries from Arabidopsis roots with and without V. dahliae infection, respectively. In total, 31 conserved miRNAs were found to be differentially expressed during the early stage of infection with V. dahliae using sRNA sequencing. Among these, the expression levels of miR160, miR164, miR166, miR167, miR390 and miR156h were confirmed by northern blot. Reverse transcription quantitative real time polymerase chain reaction results showed that the induction of miRNAs (miR160, miR164, miR166 and miR167) upon V. dahliae infection downregulated the expression of their targeted genes (ARF10, NAC1, PHV and ARF6), respectively. In addition, we identified specific phased siRNAs generated from distinct regions of two libraries. Profiling of these miRNAs and sRNAs lay the foundation for further understanding and utilising the host-induced gene silencing strategy to control plant vascular pathogens.

Verticillium dahliae Secretes Small RNA to Target Host MIR157d and Retard Plant Floral Transition During Infection

“…We found that DCL1 was slightly induced in V. dahliae -infected plants ( Figure 4D ). This result was consistent with our previous finding that a class of miRNAs were increased upon V. dahliae infection ( Jin et al, 2018 ). Therefore, we assumed that the slight induction of DCL1 in V. dahliae -infected plants, at least partly, contributed to the increase in miR157d and other endogenous miRNAs.…”

Identification and validation of miRNA reference genes in poplar under pathogen stress

“…This is supported by a previous study, in which disease-resistant and disease-susceptible cultivars of Brassica oleracea were each inoculated with a pathogen; miR390 expression levels in disease-resistant cultivars increased 1.5-fold, whereas its levels decreased 1.7-fold in disease-susceptible cultivars [35]. It was reported that the expression of mi390a-5p increased 2.8-fold in Arabidopsis inoculated with Verticillium dahlia [36]. Taking RNA samples at multiple time points ensured that our study could cover changes in miRNA expression at three different infection stages: the invasive period, the incubation period, and the disease period.…”

Expression Patterns of miR398, miR167, and miR159 in the Interaction between Bread Wheat (Triticum aestivum L.) and Pathogenic Fusarium culmorum and Beneficial Trichoderma Fungi

“…In Citrus sinensis plants inoculated with deleterious bacteria Candidatus Liberibacter asiaticus the down-regulation of miR398 expression was observed [22], whereas in the interaction Solanum lycopersicum-Glomus intraradices arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi, miR398 expression was upregulated [23]. miR167 has been documented to engage in wheat hybrid necrosis [24], as well as the response to salinity stress in Tamarix chinensis [25], drought in Manihot esculenta Crantz [26], and Verticillium dahliae infection in Arabidopsis thaliana [27]. Differences in the expression of miR159 were observed in the response of wheat plants to the presence of cadmium [28], salinity, cold [4], UV radiation [29], drought [30], and injury [21].…”