Infection of maize inbred B73 by Ustilago maydis and Fusarium proliferatum triggers differential expression of the β-glucosidase genes

Abstract

β-glucosidases participate (EC 3.2.1.21) in the activation of glycosylated and inactive forms of various compounds during plant response to the environmental conditions. The understanding of regulatory mechanisms for β-glucosidases in each plant species and their functionality is the purpose of various investigations. Our study reports the expression analysis of 10 β-glucosidase genes in corn seedlings after a challenge infection ith Fusarium proliferatum and Ustilago maydis compared with the gene expression analysis after mechanical damage and without damage to the seedlings under in vitro culture conditions. Likewise, the heterologous sequence comparison of the β-glucosidases from Zea mays and the characterized β-glucosidases of Oryza sativa and Arabidopsis thaliana were reported. Our results suggest a potential similitude in the functionality of this group of β-glucosidase genes in maize during the response to biotic stress and the mechanical damage that also showed possible tissue-specific regulation. Our results suggest the transcription regulation of these β-glucosidases and their possible influence in the defence mechanism against fungal infections in maize.