Phytopathology Research (Oct 2022)

CRISPR/Cas9-targeted mutagenesis of a representative member of a novel PR10/Bet v1-like protein subfamily significantly reduces rice plant height and defense against Meloidogyne graminicola

  • Zhiwen Li,
  • Qiuling Huang,
  • Borong Lin,
  • Bin Guo,
  • Jing Wang,
  • Chunhui Huang,
  • Jinling Liao,
  • Kan Zhuo

DOI
https://doi.org/10.1186/s42483-022-00143-z
Journal volume & issue
Vol. 4, no. 1
pp. 1 – 13

Abstract

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Abstract Plant PR10/Bet v1-like proteins are involved in defense against microbial pathogens, however, whether they participate in host defense against plant-parasitic animals including nematodes remains unknown. Here, according to the phylogeny, sequence-similarity, and secondary structure analyses, we found that the rice OsBet v1 protein and its homologs constitute a new subfamily of PR10/Bet v1-like protein. Reverse transcription-quantitative PCR assay showed that OsBet v1 was highly expressed in rice roots and induced by Meloidogyne graminicola infection. Using a transient expression assay in rice protoplasts, we demonstrated that OsBet v1 was localized in the cytoplasm and nucleus. Furthermore, CRISPR/Cas9-targeted mutagenesis of OsBet v1 significantly increased rice susceptibility to M. graminicola, but reduced rice plant height. In addition, the expression levels of two peroxidase genes (peroxidase 5 and peroxidase 56) were significantly down-regulated in OsBet v1 knockout mutants compared with those in wild-type rice plants. Taken together, this study identified a new PR10/Bet v1-like protein subfamily in plant and revealed the involvement of OsBet v1, a representative member of the subfamily, in rice growth and defense against M. graminicola. This provides a new insight into the role of plant PR10/Bet v1-like proteins in plant–nematode interactions.

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