Integrated analysis of transcriptomics and defense-related phytohormones to discover hub genes conferring maize Gibberella ear rot caused by Fusarium Graminearum
Guangsheng Yuan,
Jiahao Shi,
Cheng Zeng,
Haoya Shi,
Yong Yang,
Chuntian Zhang,
Tieli Ma,
Mengyang Wu,
Zheyi Jia,
Juan Du,
Chaoying Zou,
Langlang Ma,
Guangtang Pan,
Yaou Shen
Affiliations
Guangsheng Yuan
State Key Laboratory of Crop Gene Exploration and Utilization in Southwest China, Key Laboratory of Biology and Genetic Improvement of Maize in Southwest Region of Ministry of Agriculture, Maize Research Institute, Sichuan Agricultural University
Jiahao Shi
State Key Laboratory of Crop Gene Exploration and Utilization in Southwest China, Key Laboratory of Biology and Genetic Improvement of Maize in Southwest Region of Ministry of Agriculture, Maize Research Institute, Sichuan Agricultural University
Cheng Zeng
State Key Laboratory of Crop Gene Exploration and Utilization in Southwest China, Key Laboratory of Biology and Genetic Improvement of Maize in Southwest Region of Ministry of Agriculture, Maize Research Institute, Sichuan Agricultural University
Haoya Shi
State Key Laboratory of Crop Gene Exploration and Utilization in Southwest China, Key Laboratory of Biology and Genetic Improvement of Maize in Southwest Region of Ministry of Agriculture, Maize Research Institute, Sichuan Agricultural University
Yong Yang
State Key Laboratory of Crop Gene Exploration and Utilization in Southwest China, Key Laboratory of Biology and Genetic Improvement of Maize in Southwest Region of Ministry of Agriculture, Maize Research Institute, Sichuan Agricultural University
Chuntian Zhang
State Key Laboratory of Crop Gene Exploration and Utilization in Southwest China, Key Laboratory of Biology and Genetic Improvement of Maize in Southwest Region of Ministry of Agriculture, Maize Research Institute, Sichuan Agricultural University
Tieli Ma
State Key Laboratory of Crop Gene Exploration and Utilization in Southwest China, Key Laboratory of Biology and Genetic Improvement of Maize in Southwest Region of Ministry of Agriculture, Maize Research Institute, Sichuan Agricultural University
Mengyang Wu
State Key Laboratory of Crop Gene Exploration and Utilization in Southwest China, Key Laboratory of Biology and Genetic Improvement of Maize in Southwest Region of Ministry of Agriculture, Maize Research Institute, Sichuan Agricultural University
Zheyi Jia
State Key Laboratory of Crop Gene Exploration and Utilization in Southwest China, Key Laboratory of Biology and Genetic Improvement of Maize in Southwest Region of Ministry of Agriculture, Maize Research Institute, Sichuan Agricultural University
Juan Du
State Key Laboratory of Crop Gene Exploration and Utilization in Southwest China, Key Laboratory of Biology and Genetic Improvement of Maize in Southwest Region of Ministry of Agriculture, Maize Research Institute, Sichuan Agricultural University
Chaoying Zou
State Key Laboratory of Crop Gene Exploration and Utilization in Southwest China, Key Laboratory of Biology and Genetic Improvement of Maize in Southwest Region of Ministry of Agriculture, Maize Research Institute, Sichuan Agricultural University
Langlang Ma
State Key Laboratory of Crop Gene Exploration and Utilization in Southwest China, Key Laboratory of Biology and Genetic Improvement of Maize in Southwest Region of Ministry of Agriculture, Maize Research Institute, Sichuan Agricultural University
Guangtang Pan
State Key Laboratory of Crop Gene Exploration and Utilization in Southwest China, Key Laboratory of Biology and Genetic Improvement of Maize in Southwest Region of Ministry of Agriculture, Maize Research Institute, Sichuan Agricultural University
Yaou Shen
State Key Laboratory of Crop Gene Exploration and Utilization in Southwest China, Key Laboratory of Biology and Genetic Improvement of Maize in Southwest Region of Ministry of Agriculture, Maize Research Institute, Sichuan Agricultural University
Abstract Background Gibberella ear rot (GER) is one of the most devastating diseases in maize growing areas, which directly reduces grain yield and quality. However, the underlying defense response of maize to pathogens infection is largely unknown. Results To gain a comprehensive understanding of the defense response in GER resistance, two contrasting inbred lines ‘Nov-82’ and ‘H10’ were used to explore transcriptomic profiles and defense-related phytohormonal alterations during Fusarium graminearum infection. Transcriptomic analysis revealed 4,417 and 4,313 differentially expressed genes (DEGs) from the Nov-82 and H10, respectively, and 647 common DEGs between the two lines. More DEGs were obviously enriched in phenylpropanoid biosynthesis, secondary metabolites biosynthesis, metabolic process and defense-related pathways. In addition, the concentration of the defense-related phytohormones, jasmonates (JAs) and salicylates (SAs), was greatly induced after the pathogen infection. The level of JAs in H10 was more higher than in Nov-82, whereas an opposite pattern for the SA between the both lines. Integrated analysis of the DEGs and the phytohormones revealed five vital modules based on co-expression network analysis according to their correlation. A total of 12 hub genes encoding fatty acid desaturase, subtilisin-like protease, ethylene-responsive transcription factor, 1-aminocyclopropane-1-carboxylate oxidase, and sugar transport protein were captured from the key modules, indicating that these genes might play unique roles in response to pathogen infection, Conclusions Overall, our results indicate that large number DEGs related to plant disease resistance and different alteration of defensive phytohormones were activated during F. graminearum infection, providing new insight into the defense response against pathogen invasion, in addition to the identified hub genes that can be further investigated for enhancing maize GER resistance.
