Long noncoding RNAs involved in resistance to Verticillium dahliae, a fungal disease in cotton

Zhang, L.; Wang, M.; Li, N.; Wang, H.; Qiu, P.; Hu, Q.; Pei, L.; Xu, Z.; Wang, T.; Gao, E.; Liu, J.; Liu, S.; Miao, Y.; Lindsey, K.; Tu, L.; Zhu, L.; Zhang, X.

Abstract

Long non-coding RNAs (lncRNAs) have several known functions in plant development, but their possible roles in responding to plant disease remain largely unresolved. In this study, we described a comprehensive disease-responding lncRNA profiles in defense against a cotton fungal disease Verticillium dahliae. We further revealed the conserved and specific characters of disease responding process between two cotton species. Conservatively for two cotton species, we found the expression dominance of induced lncRNAs in the Dt subgenome, indicating a biased induction pattern in the co-existing subgenomes of allotetraploid cotton. Comparative analysis of lncRNA expression and their proposed functions in resistant Gossypium barbadense cv. ‘7124′ versus susceptible G. hirsutum cv. ‘YZ1′ revealed their distinct disease response mechanisms. Species-specific (LS) lncRNAs containing more SNPs displayed a fiercer inducing level post infection than the species-conserved (core) lncRNAs. Gene Ontology enrichment of LS lncRNAs and core lncRNAs indicates distinct roles in the process of biotic stimulus. Further functional analysis showed that two core lncRNAs GhlncNAT-ANX2- and GhlncNAT-RLP7- silenced seedlings displayed an enhanced resistance towards V. dahliae and Botrytis cinerea, possibly associated with the increased expression of LOX1 and LOX2. This study represents the first characterization of lncRNAs involved in resistance to fungal disease and provides new clues to elucidate cotton disease response mechanism.

Citation

Zhang, L., Wang, M., Li, N., Wang, H., Qiu, P., Hu, Q., …Zhang, X. (2018). Long noncoding RNAs involved in resistance to Verticillium dahliae, a fungal disease in cotton. Plant Biotechnology Journal, 16(6), 1172-1185. https://doi.org/10.1111/pbi.12861

• Journal Article Type: Article
• Acceptance Date: Nov 1, 2017
• Online Publication Date: Dec 21, 2017
• Publication Date: Jun 1, 2018
• Deposit Date: Nov 8, 2017
• Publicly Available Date: Nov 28, 2017
• Journal: Plant Biotechnology Journal
• Print ISSN: 1467-7644
• Electronic ISSN: 1467-7652
• Publisher: Association of Applied Biologists
• Peer Reviewed: Peer Reviewed
• Volume: 16
• Issue: 6
• Pages: 1172-1185
• DOI: https://doi.org/10.1111/pbi.12861
• Public URL: https://durham-repository.worktribe.com/output/1371542