Transcriptional Changes in Potato Sprouts upon Interaction with Rhizoctonia solani Indicate Pathogen-Induced Interference in the Defence Pathways of Potato

Abstract

Rhizoctonia solani is the causer of black scurf disease on potatoes and is responsible for high economical losses in global agriculture. In order to increase the limited knowledge of the plants’ molecular response to this pathogen, we inoculated potatoes with R. solani AG3-PT isolate Ben3 and carried out RNA sequencing with total RNA extracted from potato sprouts at three and eight days post inoculation (dpi). In this dual RNA-sequencing experiment, the necrotrophic lifestyle of R. solani AG3-PT during early phases of interaction with its host has already been characterised. Here the potato plants’ comprehensive transcriptional response to inoculation with R. solani AG3 was evaluated for the first time based on significantly different expressed plant genes extracted with DESeq analysis. Overall, 1640 genes were differentially expressed, comparing control (−Rs) and with R. solani AG3-PT isolate Ben3 inoculated plants (+Rs). Genes involved in the production of anti-fungal proteins and secondary metabolites with antifungal properties were significantly up regulated upon inoculation with R. solani. Gene ontology (GO) terms involved in the regulation of hormone levels (i.e., ethylene (ET) and jasmonic acid (JA) at 3 dpi and salicylic acid (SA) and JA response pathways at 8 dpi) were significantly enriched. Contrastingly, the GO term “response to abiotic stimulus” was down regulated at both time points analysed. These results may support future breeding efforts toward the development of cultivars with higher resistance level to black scurf disease or the development of new control strategies.

Inhibition Molecular Mechanism of the Novel Fungicidal N-(Naphthalen-1-yl) phenazine-1-carboxamide against Rhizoctonia solani

“…The pathogen has a wide host range and strong viability. It can also cause potato nevus and root rot diseases of soybean, maize, onion, etc., as well as lower plants growth, yields, and quality; it is considered one of the most destructive plant pathogens [2][3][4][5]. The sclerotium that falls into the soil becomes the initial source of infection for the next season.…”

Potato calcineurin B-like protein CBL4, interacting with calcineurin B-like protein-interacting protein kinase CIPK2, positively regulates plant resistance to stem canker caused by Rhizoctonia solani

“…Rhizoctonia solani causes stem canker and black scurf, one of the most severe soil-borne fungal diseases of potato that dramatically reduce yield and quality. Breeding for disease-resistant varieties is viewed as the most effective and eco-friendly method for disease control, with potato disease resistance shown in a previously reported study to rely on R. solani infection-induced triggering of plant pathways that induce production of hormones jasmonic acid (JA) and salicylic acid (SA; Zrenner et al, 2021 ). However, as no endogenous resistance gene against Rhizoctonia disease has yet been identified in potato, the molecular response of potato to R. solani attack remains largely unknown.…”

Increased abundance of patatins, lipoxygenase and miraculins in a thaxtomin A‐habituated potato Russet Burbank somaclone with enhanced resistance to common scab

“…Enhanced DES gene expression was also observed after potato leaf infiltration with P . infestans (Stumpe et al, 2001) and following infection of potato sprouts with the black scurf pathogen Rhizoctonia solani (Zrenner et al, 2021), suggesting the activation of this pathway in response to pathogens. However, we cannot exclude that 9S‐LOX in RB9 tubers led to the synthesis of other oxylipins that may exhibit defensive activity either due to their signalling abilities or to a direct antimicrobial toxicity against pathogenic organisms (Wasternack & Feussner, 2018).…”