Abstract
Apple (Malus × domestica Borkh.) is one of the most important cultivated tree fruit crops worldwide. However, sustainable apple production is threatened by powdery mildew (PM) disease, which is caused by the obligate biotrophic fungus Podosphaera leucotricha. To gain insight into the molecular basis of the PM infection and disease progression, RNA-based transcriptional profiling (RNA-seq) was used to identify differentially expressed genes (DEGs) in apples following inoculation with P. leucotricha. Four RNA-seq libraries were constructed comprising a total of 214 Gb of high-quality sequence. 1177 DEGs (661 upregulated and 629 downregulated) have been identified according to the criteria of a ratio of infection/control fold change > 2, and a false discovery rate (FDR) < 0.001. The majority of DEGs (815) were detected 12 h after inoculation, suggesting that this is an important time point in the response of the PM infection. Gene annotation analysis revealed that DEGs were predominately associated with biological processes, phenylpropanoid biosynthesis, hormone signal transduction and plant-pathogen interactions. Genes activated by infection corresponded to transcription factors (e.g., AP2/ERF, MYB, WRKY and NAC) and synthesis of defense-related metabolites, including pathogenesis-related genes, glucosidase and dehydrin. Overall, the information obtained in this study enriches the resources available for research into the molecular-genetic mechanisms of the apple/powdery mildew interactions, and provides a theoretical basis for the development of new apple varieties with resistance to PM.
Highlights
Apple (Malus × domestica Borkh.) powdery mildew (PM), caused by the obligate biotrophic fungus, Podosphaera leucotricha, is one of the most prevalent fungal apple diseases, affecting almost all cultivars in all major apple-growing areas of the world [1]
To analyze the transcriptional response to the PM infection in apple, leaves were inoculated with a suspension of P. leucotricha, and RNA-based sequencing (RNA-seq) analysis was performed on samples atat 0, 12, 24 and 48 h after infection
superoxide dismutase (SOD) and CAT activities reached their maximum levels at 7 dpi (Figure 6B)
Summary
Apple (Malus × domestica Borkh.) powdery mildew (PM), caused by the obligate biotrophic fungus, Podosphaera leucotricha, is one of the most prevalent fungal apple diseases, affecting almost all cultivars in all major apple-growing areas of the world [1]. Comparative transcriptional analysis, using RNA-based sequencing (RNA-seq), is a common approach for identifying genes that are differentially expressed between two samples [5] This method has been widely applied in research into plant-pathogen interactions in horticultural crops, including in grape (Vitis vinifera) [6], pear (Pyrus hopeiensis) [7] and tomato (Solanum lycopersicum) [8]. Several such studies have examined the interaction of apple with pathogens, including Venturia inaequalis [9], Alternaria alternata [10], Marssonina coronaria [11], Valsa mali [12] and Pythium ultimum [13]. The identification of gene responses to the PM infection is an important first step both for controlling PM in existing apple orchards, and for the development of new, PM-resistance cultivars
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