Insights into the Transcriptional Reprogramming of Peach Leaves Inoculated with Taphrina deformans

Abstract

The dimorphic fungus Taphrina deformans is the causal agent of peach leaf curl disease, which affects leaves, flowers, and fruits. An RNA-seq approach was employed to gain insights into the transcriptional reprogramming of a peach cultivar during leaf inoculation with the yeast phase of the fungus across a compatible interaction. The results uncovered modulations of specific peach differentially expressed genes (DEGs) in peaches and pathways related to either the induction of host defense responses or pathogen colonization and disease spread. Expression profiles of DEGs were shown to be highly time-dependent and related to the presence of the two forms of the fungal growth, the inoculated yeast form and the later biotrophic phase during mycelial development. In parallel, this differential reprogramming was consistent with a diphasic detection of fungal load in the challenged leaves over the 120 h after inoculation (HAI) period. Leaf defense responses either occurred during the early yeast phase inoculation at 24 HAI, mediated primarily by cell wall modification processes, or more pronouncedly during the biotrophic phase at 72 HAI, as revealed by the activation of DEGs related to pathogen perception, signaling transduction, and secondary metabolism towards restraining further hypha proliferation. On the contrary, the expression patterns of specific DEGs at 120 HAI might further contribute to host susceptibility. These findings will further allow us to elucidate the molecular responses beyond the peach—T. deformans interaction.

Deciphering the Interaction between Coniella granati and Pomegranate Fruit Employing Transcriptomics

“…A large repertoire of RLKs and RLPs-encoding genes involved in plant–microbe interaction, pathogen recognition, and signaling were upregulated mainly at 2 and 3 dai. Previously, RLK s, G- type LecRK s, and WAK s genes were reported to be involved in defense responses to pathogens [ 12 , 18 , 20 , 25 , 33 , 34 , 35 ]. Furthermore, CRK s, PERK s, and CDPK s genes are related to immune signaling pathways, acting as plant defense regulators [ 36 ].…”

“…The primary metabolism associated ‘alpha-linolenic acid metabolism’ pathway was also enriched at 2 and 3 dai through the upregulation of AOCs, AOSs, and LOXs genes. It is worth noting that some of these genes are also involved in JA biosynthesis highlighting the hypothesis that this phytohormone plays a pivotal role in signaling transduction mediated responses [ 25 ]. Such genes were upregulated in peach and kiwifruits during compatible interactions with M. fructicola and B. cinerea , respectively [ 12 , 18 ].…”

“…To validate the RNA-seq data, relative gene expression of nine, randomly selected, pomegranate DEGs was conducted through real-time quantitative PCR (RT-qPCR) analysis, following the procedure as previously described [ 25 ]. PCR reactions were conducted in triplicate and the expression patterns were compared to the constitutively expressed housekeeping gene EF-1α using the specific primers previously described [ 1 ].…”