Host-induced gene silencing of the Verticillium dahliae thiamine transporter protein gene(VdThit)confers resistance to Verticillium wilt in cotton

Verticillium wilt(VW),induced by the soil-borne fungus Verticillium dahliae(Vd),poses a substantial threat to a diverse array of plant species.Employing molecular breeding technology for the development of cotton varieties with heightened resistance to VW stands out as one of the most efficacious protective measures.In this study,we successfully generated two stable transgenic lines of cotton(Gossypium hirsutum L.),VdThitRNAi-1 and VdThit-RNAi-2,using host-induced gene silencing(HIGS)technology to introduce double-stranded RNA(dsRNA)targeting the thiamine transporter protein gene(VdThit).Southern blot analysis confirmed the presence of a single-copy insertion in each line.Microscopic examination showed marked reductions in the colonization and spread of Vd-mCherry in the roots of VdThit-RNAi cotton compared to wild type(WT).The corresponding disease index and fungal biomass of VdThit-RNAi-1/2 also exhibited significant reductions.Real-time quantitative PCR(qRT-PCR)analysis demonstrated a substantial inhibition of VdThit expression following prolonged inoculation of VdThit-RNAi cotton.Small RNA sequencing(sRNA-Seq)analysis revealed the generation of a substantial number of VdThit-specific siRNAs in the VdThit-RNAi transgenic lines.Additionally,the silencing of VdThit by the siVdThit produced by VdThit-RNAi-1/2 resulted in the elevated expression of multiple genes involved in the thiamine biosynthesis pathway in Vd.Under field conditions,VdThit-RNAi transgenic cotton exhibited significantly enhanced disease resistance and yield compared with WT.In summary,our findings underscore the efficacy of HIGS targeting VdThit in restraining the infection and spread of Vd in cotton,thereby potentially enabling the development of cotton breeding as a promising strategy for managing VW.

Host-Induced Gene Silencing of Effector AGLIP1 Enhanced Resistance of Rice to Rhizoctonia solani AG1-IA

Rice sheath blight, caused by Rhizoctonia solani AG1-IA, is a major disease in rice-growing areas worldwide. Effectors of phytopathogenic fungi play important roles during the infection process of fungal pathogens onto their host plants. However, the molecular mechanisms by which R. solani effectors regulate rice immunity are not well understood. Through prediction, 78 candidate effector molecules were identified. Using the tobacco rattle virus-host induced gene silencing(TRV-HIGS) system, 45 RNAi constructs of effector genes were infiltrated into Nicotiana benthamiana leaves. The results revealed that eight of these constructs resulted in a significant reduction in necrosis caused by infection with the AG1-IA strain GD-118. Additionally, stable rice transformants carrying the double-stranded RNA construct for one of the effector genes, AGLIP1, were generated to further verify the function of this gene. The suppression of the AGLIP1 gene increased the resistance of both N. benthamiana and rice against GD-118, and also affected the growth rate of GD-118, indicating that AGLIP1 is a key pathogenic factor. Small RNA sequencing showed that the HIGS vectors were processed into si RNAs within the plants and then translocated to the fungi, leading to the silencing of the target genes. As a result, AGLIP1 might be an excellent candidate for HIGS, thereby enhancing crop resistance against the pathogen and contributing to the control of R. solani infection.

Stripe Rust Effector PstGSRE1 Disrupts Nuclear Localization of ROS-Promoting Transcription Factor TaLOL2 to Defeat ROS-Induced Defense in Wheat

Puccinia striiformis f.sp.tritici(Pst),a biotrophic plant pathogen,secretes numerous effectors to modulate host defense systems.Understanding the molecular mechanisms by which Pst effectors regulate wheat immunity is of great importance for the development of novel strategies for durable control of stripe rust.In this study,we identified a glycine-serine-rich effector gene,PstGSRE1,which is highly induced dur-ing early infection.Transgenic expression of PstGSRE1 RNAi constructs in wheat significantly reduced virulence of Pst and increased H2O2 accumulation in wheat.PstGSRE1 was shown to target the reactive ox-ygen species(ROS)-associated transcription factor TaLOL2,a positive regulator of wheat immunity.PstGSRE1 disrupted nuclear localization of TaLOL2 and suppressed ROS-mediated cell death induced by TaLOL2,thus compromising host immunity.This work reveals a previously unrecognized strategy whereby rust fungi exploit the PstGSRE1 effector to defeat ROS-associated plant defense by modulating the subcellular compartment of a host immune regulator and facilitate pathogen infection.

A secreted catalase contributes to Puccinia striiformis resistance to host-derived oxidative stress

Plants can produce reactive oxygen species(ROS)to counteract pathogen invasion,and pathogens have also evolved corresponding ROS scavenging strategies to promote infection and pathogenicity.Catalases(CATs)have been found to play pivotal roles in detoxifying H_(2)O_(2)formed by superoxide anion catalyzed by superoxide dismutases(SODs).However,few studies have addressed H_(2)O_(2)removing during rust fungi infection of wheat.In this study,we cloned a CAT gene PsCAT1 from Puccinia striiformis f.sp.tritici(Pst),which encodes a monofunctional heme-containing catalase.PsCAT1 exhibited a high degree of tolerance to pH and temperature,and forms high homopolymers.Heterologous complementation assays in Saccharomyces cerevisiae reveal that the signal peptide of PsCAT1 is functional.Overexpression of PsCAT1 enhanced S.cerevisiae resistance to H_(2)O_(2).Transient expression of PsCAT1 in Nicotiana benthamiana suppressed Bax-induced cell death.Knockdown of PsCAT1 using a host-induced gene silencing(HIGS)system led to the reduced virulence of Pst,which was correlated to H_(2)O_(2)accumulation in HIGS plants.These results indicate that PsCAT1 acts as an important pathogenicity factor that facilitates Pst infection by scavenging host-derived H_(2)O_(2).