Molecular characterization of the ERF family in susceptible poplar infected by virulent Melampsora larici-populina

Publication date: Available online 6 September 2019Source: Physiological and Molecular Plant PathologyAuthor(s): Qiaoli Chen, Zhiying Wang, Danlei Li, Feng Wang, Ruizhi Zhang, Jianan WangAbstractMelampsora larici-populina causes serious poplar foliar diseases called rust worldwide. The ethylene response factor (ERF) family, which is one of the largest groups of transcription factors (TFs) families, is considered to play a crucial role in regulating networks related to plant disease resistance. To investigate the transcript profiles of ERF genes involved in poplar rust resistance, Populus nigra × P. deltoides (Pnd), which is susceptible to the E4 race of M. larici-populina, was selected for this study. Digital gene expression (DGE) libraries of mixed time points of E4-inoculated (rust+) or E4-free (rust-) Pnd leaves were examined, yielding 143 Pnd-ERF genes of which 41 Pnd-ERF genes had altered transcript levels. RT-qPCR results indicated that transcript levels of these Pnd-ERF genes were mostly reduced or unchanged when plants were at 4 dpi. Then transcriptome sequencing for rust + or rust- Pnd leaves at 4 dpi was performed and interaction network of Pnd-ERFs and their target genes were predicted and analyzed. Based on the results of the transcriptome sequencing, transcript levels of 93 Pnd-ERF genes in rust + Pnd leaves were significantly different from those in rust- Pnd leaves, including 21 upregulated and 72 downregulated genes. In addition, 199 target genes were p...
Source: Physiological and Molecular Plant Pathology - Category: Molecular Biology Source Type: research