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Title: CHANGES IN THE GENE EXPRESSION PROFILE OF POTATO IN RESPONSE TO INFECTION BY POTATO WITCHES'-BROOM PHYTOPLASMA

Author
item Zhao, Yan
item WEI, WEI - PEOPLES REPUBLIC OF CHINA
item SUN, QINGRONG - PEOPLES REPUBLIC OF CHINA
item Lee, Ing Ming
item Davis, Robert
item SHI, XIURONG - PEOPLES REPUBLIC OF CHINA

Submitted to: International Organization for Mycoplasmology
Publication Type: Abstract Only
Publication Acceptance Date: 4/5/2006
Publication Date: 4/5/2006
Citation: Zhao, Y., Wei, W., Sun, Q., Lee, I., Davis, R.E., Shi, X. 2006. Changes in the gene expression profile of potato in response to infection by potato witches'-broom phytoplasma. International Organization for Mycoplasmology. p. 34.

Interpretive Summary:

Technical Abstract: Potato is one of the most important food crops cultivated in the United States. Recently, potato production from Texas to Washington State has been devastated by new disease epidemics caused by phloem-inhabiting, cell wall-less bacteria known as potato witches’ broom and potato purple top phytoplasmas. Since there is no known cure to the diseases, knowledge about pathogen-host interactions involved in phytoplasma pathogenesis is essential to identification of molecular targets and to development of effective control measures to combat the diseases. Investigation of changes of potato gene expression profile in response to phytoplasma infection is an initial step to elucidating signal transduction pathways that lead to disease induction and/or plant resistance. Microarray studies were conducted to measure transcript levels of more than12,000 genes in potato witches’-broom (PWB-AK3)-infected and healthy control plants. Preliminary results showed that expression levels of several hundred genes were altered in infected plants. Among significantly up- and down-regulated genes were those encode pathogenesis / resistance-related proteins, signal-transducing protein kinases, transcription factors, auxin-regulated proteins, and proteins involved in oxidative stress responses. Further experiments will be focused on sequential events of the changes in global gene expression and specific pathways involved in the process.