Skip to main content
ARS Home » Pacific West Area » Pullman, Washington » Grain Legume Genetics Physiology Research » Research » Publications at this Location » Publication #282205
Title: Transcriptome analyses of Sclerotinia sclerotiorum infecting chickpea and lentil using RNA sequencing

Author
item QIU, DAN - Washington State University
item Vandemark, George
item Chen, Weidong

Submitted to: Phytopathology
Publication Type: Abstract Only
Publication Acceptance Date: 5/15/2012
Publication Date: 7/2/2012
Citation: Qiu, D., Vandemark, G.J., Chen, W. 2012. Transcriptome analyses of Sclerotinia sclerotiorum infecting chickpea and lentil using RNA sequencing. Phytopathology. 102:S4.95-S4.96.

Interpretive Summary:

Technical Abstract: Sclerotinia sclerotiorum causes white mold of many important crops. To elucidate its pathogenic mechanisms, transcriptome analyses were used to study its interactions with chickpea and lentil. Five mRNA libraries were constructed from S. sclertiorum (strain WM-A1), healthy chickpea (cv. Spansih White) and lentil (cv. Pardina), and advancing disease lesions of chickpea and lentil infected with S. sclerotiorum 48 h post inoculation, and sequenced with the 454 Titanium RNA sequencing. The transcripts in the interaction transcriptomes were separated into either the plant RNA or pathogen RNA based on BLAST searches. The pathogen transcripts in the interaction transcriptomes that were not found in the transcripts of the pathogen alone were considered as induced transcripts (expressed in response to infection). About 50% of the >65000 unigenes in both interaction transcriptomes were from the pathogen. There were 704 and 589 induced unigenes of pathogen in the interaction transcriptomes with chickpea and lentil, respectively, in which 177 and 162 unigenes were highly expressed. Among the induced and highly expressed genes, 42 were in common in both transcriptomes, and 18 of them (43%) code for plant cell wall degrading enzymes. In addition, the induced unigenes with other functions like recognition and signaling, and transporter were also identified. Many of the induced transcripts were confirmed with qRT-PCR. The induced genes are potential pathogenicity factors and are subjects of further investigation.