Transcriptional profile of genes involved in the production of terpenes and glyceollins in response to biotic stresses in soybean

Abstract

Terpenes produced by plants comprise a diverse range of secondary metabolites, including volatile organic compounds (VOCs). Terpene VOC production may be altered after damage or by biological stimuli such as bacterial, fungal and insects, and subsequent triggering of plant defense responses. These VOCs originate in plants from two independent pathways: the mevalonate and the methylerythritol phosphate pathways, which utilize dimethylallyl and isopentenyl diphosphates to form the terpenoidal precursors. Phakopsora pachyrhizi fungi causes Asian soybean rust, limiting soybean production and resulting in losses of up to 80% if no control strategies are applied. By using a transcriptome datasets, we investigated the regulation of genes of the mevalonate pathway under different biotic stresses. We studied the impact of P. pachyrhizi infection in vivo expression profile of genes involved in terpenoid and glyceollin biosynthesis in genotypes harboring different resistance genes (Rpp), and across the infection cycle. In addition, we used UPLC and UPGC analysis to evaluate glyceollin and VOC production, respectively, to identify metabolites associated with soybean responses to pathogen infection. The regulation of soybean genes involved in terpene production was influenced by genotypes, depending on the Rpp gene, while glyceollin was induced in all genotypes. Furthermore, a sesquiterpene was identified as a potential marker associated with rust symptoms on soybean.

Mutation and sequencing‐based cloning and functional studies of a rust resistance gene in sunflower (Helianthus annuus)

“…Additionally, multiple terpenoid metabolites identified from sunflower have been shown to possess antifungal activity in in vitro assays against important fungal pathogens such as Sclerotinia sclerotiorum and Verticillium dahliae (Picman et al., 1990; Picman & Schneider, 1993). Although terpenoids have not been previously implicated in sunflower resistance to rust, terpenoid metabolites have been suggested to play a role in rust resistance in other plants, such as soybean and eucalyptus (Parmezan et al., 2020; Silva et al., 2019). Future studies will be required to assess the role of terpenoids in sunflower rust resistance and identify specific terpenoid metabolites involved in defense against rust.…”