Abstract
The success in the response of a plant to a pest depends on the regulatory networks that connect plant perception and plant response. Meta-analyses of transcriptomic responses are valuable tools to discover novel mechanisms in the plant/herbivore interplay. Considering the quantity and quality of available transcriptomic analyses, Arabidopsis thaliana was selected to test the ability of comprehensive meta-analyses to disentangle plant responses. The analysis of the transcriptomic data showed a general induction of biological processes commonly associated with the response to herbivory, like jasmonate signaling or glucosinolate biosynthesis. However, an uneven induction of many genes belonging to these biological categories was found, which was likely associated with the particularities of each specific Arabidopsis-herbivore interaction. A thorough analysis of the responses to the lepidopteran Pieris rapae and the spider mite Tetranychus urticae highlighted specificities in the perception and signaling pathways associated with the expression of receptors and transcription factors. This information was translated to a variable alteration of secondary metabolic pathways. In conclusion, transcriptomic meta-analysis has been revealed as a potent way to sort out relevant physiological processes in the plant response to herbivores. Translation of these transcriptomic-based analyses to crop species will permit a more appropriate design of biotechnological programs.
Highlights
The ERF-branch is synergistically regulated by the ET-signaling pathway and leads to the activation of responsive genes controlled by the AP2/ERF transcription factors (TFs) ORA59 and E RF118,19
Alterations in the expression of TFs change the accumulation patterns of several defensive proteins and of numerous enzymes involved in the biosynthesis of secondary metabolites
Each gene is examined for its pathway and process enrichment score making use of the Gene Ontology25, KEGG26, and other platforms
Summary
The ERF-branch is synergistically regulated by the ET-signaling pathway and leads to the activation of responsive genes controlled by the AP2/ERF TFs ORA59 and E RF118,19. Alterations in the expression of TFs change the accumulation patterns of several defensive proteins and of numerous enzymes involved in the biosynthesis of secondary metabolites. TFs of the MYC and MYB families regulate the expression of several antiherbivore genes, including terpenoids and flavonoids. Defensive signal transduction leads to a concerted regulation of downstream stress-responsive genes. This work is focused on the meta-analysis of the plant transcriptomic responses to herbivore stresses to determine specificities and commonalities. Starting from a set of 28 Arabidopsis-herbivore transcriptomic experiments, we performed a comprehensive analysis of the biological processes involving induced or repressed genes. From these results, a broad range of particularities in the plant response to diverse herbivores was revealed
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