Skip to main content
ARS Home » Northeast Area » Beltsville, Maryland (BARC) » Beltsville Agricultural Research Center » Molecular Plant Pathology Laboratory » Research » Publications at this Location » Publication #384851
Research Project: Emerging Stress Challenges and Functional Genomics of Stress Responses in Alfalfa

Location: Molecular Plant Pathology Laboratory

Title: Targeted transcriptomics reveals signatures of large-scale independent origins and concerted regulation of effector genes in Radopholus similis

Author
item VIERA, PAULO - Virginia Tech
item Myers, Roxana
item PELLEGRIN, CLEMENT - University Of Cambridge
item WRAM, CATHERINE - University Of Oregon
item Hesse, Cedar
item MAIER, THOMAS - Iowa State University
item GEORGIOS, KOUTSOVOULOS - Inrae
item Zasada, Inga
item Matsumoto Brower, Tracie
item DANCHIN, ETIENNE - Inrae
item BAUM, THOMAS - University Of Iowa
item EVES-VAN DEN AKKER, SEBASTIAN - University Of Cambridge
item Nemchinov, Lev

Submitted to: PLoS Pathogens
Publication Type: Peer Reviewed Journal
Publication Acceptance Date: 10/15/2021
Publication Date: 11/8/2021
Citation: Viera, P., Myers, R.Y., Pellegrin, C., Wram, C., Hesse, C.N., Maier, T.R., Georgios, K.D., Zasada, I.A., Matsumoto Brower, T.K., Danchin, E.G., Baum, T.J., Eves-Van Den Akker, S., Nemchinov, L.G. 2021. Targeted transcriptomics reveals signatures of large-scale independent origins and concerted regulation of effector genes in Radopholus similis. PLoS Pathogens. 17:11. https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.ppat.1010036.
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.ppat.1010036

Interpretive Summary: The burrowing nematode is an economically important pathogen that inflicts damage and yield loss to a wide range of crops. It is widely distributed in warmer regions and causes extensive destruction to the root systems of important food crops. In this research, we used next generation sequencing technology to identify candidates genes coding for effector proteins of this species. Effectors are critical components determining the outcome of plant-nematode interactions and the ability of nematodes to infest a wide range of hosts. It is expected that this work will be of interest to plant pathologists, nematologists and plant molecular biologists working in the fields of crop protection and improvement.

Technical Abstract: The burrowing nematode, Radopholus similis, is an economically important pathogen that inflicts damage and yield loss to a wide range of crops. This migratory endoparasite is widely distributed in warmer regions and causes extensive destruction to the root systems of important food crops (e.g., citrus, banana). Here we combined spatially and temporally resolved next-generation sequencing datasets of R. similis to select a list of candidates for the identification of effector genes for this species. We confirmed spatial expression of transcripts of 31 candidate effectors within the esophageal glands of R. similis by in situ hybridization. These transcripts included homologues of known effectors with diverse molecular functions from other plant-parasitic nematodes, as well as a large set of pioneer effectors specific to R. similis. We then combined in situ localization of the effectors and available genomic data to identify a non-coding motif associated with gene expression specific to the nematode esophageal glands. The motif is a putative hallmark of spatial and concerted regulation of these effectors. Our data allowed us to infer plausible evolutionary histories that shaped the effector repertoire of R. similis, suggesting a large-scale effector birth in this particular species. Considering the economic damage caused by R. similis, this information provides valuable data to elucidate the mode of parasitism of this nematode. It also offers critical suggestions for the potential use of R. similis-specific effector genes to control this important pathogen.