TY - JOUR
T1 - Differential gene expression in kernels and silks of maize lines with contrasting levels of ear rot resistance after Fusarium verticillioides infection
AU - Lanubile, Alessandra
AU - Pasini, Luca
AU - Marocco, Adriano
PY - 2010
Y1 - 2010
N2 - Fusarium verticillioides is the causal agent of ear rot in most maize-growing areas of southern Europe. F.
verticillioides produces fumonisins commonly found at biologically significant concentrations in maize
grain; the molecular interaction between the fungus and the plant is not well known, and little information
is currently available about the defense response of maize against F. verticillioides infection. We
attempted to identify genes that may be involved in Fusarium ear rot resistance using resistant and
susceptible maize genotypes. Kernels of the resistant inbred showed significantly reduced incidence of
infection by F. verticillioides, limited amounts of total fumonisin content and reduced fungal growth, as
indicated by a lower copy number of -tubulin 2 and FUM 21 genes of F. verticillioides. Gene expression
data were obtained from microarray hybridizations using maize seeds infected with F. verticillioides, by
comparing seeds at 0 and 48 h after infection. Differentially expressed sequences were identified and
classified into 11 functional categories. Most of the differentially expressed genes were assigned to the
category “cell rescue, defense and virulence” in both resistant and susceptible maize lines. These genes
encode for PR proteins, detoxification enzymes and -glucosidases. Most of the pathogenesis-related
genes were differentially activated after F. veticillioides infection, depending on the resistance level of the
maize genotypes. In kernels of the resistant line, the defense-related genes assayed were transcribed at
high levels before infection and provided basic defense against the fungus. In the susceptible kernels, the
defense-related genes were induced from a basal level, responding specifically to pathogen infection. The
qRT-PCR in infected silks showed that PR1, PR5, PRm6 and thaumatin genes had lower expression ratios
in the resistant line compared to the susceptible one.
AB - Fusarium verticillioides is the causal agent of ear rot in most maize-growing areas of southern Europe. F.
verticillioides produces fumonisins commonly found at biologically significant concentrations in maize
grain; the molecular interaction between the fungus and the plant is not well known, and little information
is currently available about the defense response of maize against F. verticillioides infection. We
attempted to identify genes that may be involved in Fusarium ear rot resistance using resistant and
susceptible maize genotypes. Kernels of the resistant inbred showed significantly reduced incidence of
infection by F. verticillioides, limited amounts of total fumonisin content and reduced fungal growth, as
indicated by a lower copy number of -tubulin 2 and FUM 21 genes of F. verticillioides. Gene expression
data were obtained from microarray hybridizations using maize seeds infected with F. verticillioides, by
comparing seeds at 0 and 48 h after infection. Differentially expressed sequences were identified and
classified into 11 functional categories. Most of the differentially expressed genes were assigned to the
category “cell rescue, defense and virulence” in both resistant and susceptible maize lines. These genes
encode for PR proteins, detoxification enzymes and -glucosidases. Most of the pathogenesis-related
genes were differentially activated after F. veticillioides infection, depending on the resistance level of the
maize genotypes. In kernels of the resistant line, the defense-related genes assayed were transcribed at
high levels before infection and provided basic defense against the fungus. In the susceptible kernels, the
defense-related genes were induced from a basal level, responding specifically to pathogen infection. The
qRT-PCR in infected silks showed that PR1, PR5, PRm6 and thaumatin genes had lower expression ratios
in the resistant line compared to the susceptible one.
KW - ear rot
KW - microarray analysis
KW - resistance to pathogens
KW - ear rot
KW - microarray analysis
KW - resistance to pathogens
UR - http://hdl.handle.net/10807/2990
M3 - Article
SN - 0176-1617
VL - 167
SP - 1398
EP - 1406
JO - Journal of Plant Physiology
JF - Journal of Plant Physiology
ER -