ARS | Publication request: Differential sugar beet gene expression during the defense response to challenge by Cercospora beticola

Submitted to: Meeting Abstract
Publication Type: Abstract Only
Publication Acceptance Date: February 25, 2009
Publication Date: February 25, 2009
Citation: Larson, R.L., Mcclintock, M.E., Cramer, R.A., Hill, A.L., Fenwick, A.L., Reeves, P.A., Webb, K.M., Panella, L.W. 2009. Differential sugar beet gene expression during the defense response to challenge by Cercospora beticola. Meeting Abstract.

Technical Abstract: Cercospora leaf spot (CLS), caused by the fungus Cercospora beticola Sacc., is a widespread foliar disease of sugar beet that causes reduced sugar and root yield. It can become a problem in many production areas in the U.S. and world-wide. The study of host resistance is important for the understanding of host-pathogen interaction, the development of more effective disease control strategies, and ultimately marker assisted selection utilizing implicated defense response genes. In the current study, a modified suppressive subtractive hybridization (SSH) was utilized to identify host plant genes involved in the defense response of sugar beet resistant to CLS. A CLS-resistant sugar beet germplasm, (FC504CMS X FC502/2)] X SP6322-0 (LSR), was inoculated with C. beticola or mock inoculated, RNA extracted and a subtracted library created for the identification of highly expressed and low abundance defense related genes. Semi-quantitative reverse transcriptase polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) was then used to quantify and verify expression level over time, after challenge by C. beticola, of a few potential defense related genes identified from the subtractive library. RNA was extracted from mock inoculated and C. beticola inoculated susceptible (FC403) and resistant (LSR) sugar beet plants at 0 h, 48 h, 72 h, and 5 day. Expression of CP5, GST, SOD, P450, PR-10, and UVB were quantified over the time course. ANOVA analysis shows significant expression differences between resistant and susceptible cultivars for some of the selected genes.