Abstract
DUF538 proteins belong to a large group of uncharacterized protein families sharing the highly conserved Domain of Unknown Function (DUF). Attention has been given to DUF538 domain-containing proteins due to changes in their gene expression behavior and protein abundance during plant development and responses to stress. Putative roles attributed to DUF538 in plants under abiotic and biotic constraints include involvement in cell redox balance, chlorophyll breakdown and pectin degradation. Our previous transcriptome studies suggested that DUF538 is also involved in the resistance responses of wild Arachis species against the highly hazardous root-knot nematodes (RKNs). To clarify the role of the AsDUF538 gene from the wild peanut relative Arachis stenosperma in this interaction, we analyzed the effect of its overexpression on RKN infection in peanut and soybean hairy roots and Arabidopsis transgenic plants. AsDUF538 overexpression significantly reduced the infection in all three heterologous plant systems against their respective RKN counterparts. The distribution of AsDUF538 transcripts in RKN-infected Arachis roots and the effects of AsDUF538 overexpression on hormonal pathways and redox system in transgenic Arabidopsis were also evaluated. This is the first time that a DUF538 gene is functionally validated in transgenic plants and the earliest report on its role in plant defense against RKNs.
Highlights
The DUF (Domain of Unknown Function) family comprises proteins with one or more conserved domains with no functional annotation
Was determined by the alignment of eight Arachis sequences putatively coding for DUF538 proteins, using as reference an A. stenosperma sequence (Genbank EH045758.1) previously identified as upregulated in root-knot nematodes (RKNs)-infected roots [21] (Figure 1A)
As observed for peanut hairy roots, these results indicated that the efficiency of A. rhizogenes transformation and induction of hairy roots in composite soybean plants were not affected by the overexpression of AsDUF538
Summary
The DUF (Domain of Unknown Function) family comprises proteins with one or more conserved domains with no functional annotation. 4000 DUF families are described, encompassing more than 22% of the entire database (Pfam 33.2, June 2020, 18,259 entries). Despite DUFs having as yet no clarified function, recent studies suggest that they might play an important role in plant stress responses [1,2,3]. Within this large family, DUF538 superfamily members are among the most studied proteins, found in more than 40 plant species, almost exclusively in Embryophyta [4]. DUF538 protein was reported to be involved in intracellular transport of cuticular waxes, affecting leaf surface permeability and water loss control [12]
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