Exploring the impact of histone modifying enzymes in the defense against the necrotrophic fungi Verticillium dahliae in Solanum lycopersicum

• Grant number: 25/07698-0
• Support Opportunities: Scholarships abroad - Research Internship - Scientific Initiation
• Start date: September 01, 2025
• End date: December 31, 2025
• Field of knowledge: Biological Sciences - Botany - Pant Physiology
• Principal Investigator: Maria Magdalena Rossi
• Grantee: Letícia Guimarães Barbosa
• Supervisor: Giovanna Gramegna
• Host Institution: Instituto de Biociências (IB). Universidade de São Paulo (USP). São Paulo , SP, Brazil
• Institution abroad: Università degli Studi di Roma La Sapienza, Italy
• Associated to the scholarship: 23/15914-0 - Investigating the role of BBX proteins in jasmonic acid signaling pathway, BP.IC

Abstract

The jasmonic acid (JA) signaling pathway acts in the defense against herbivores and necrotrophic pathogens. In normal conditions, MYC2 transcription factor, responsible for triggering the JA-mediated response, is repressed by JAZ proteins. Upon pathogens stimuli, JA is synthesized and binds to the ubiquitination complex SCFCOI1, that marks JAZ for degradation, releasing MYC2 to induce the transcription of JA-responsive genes. Epigenetic mechanisms such as histones post-transductional modifications are processes known to be involved in the JA-mediated defense against pathogens, including the necrotrophic fungus Verticillium dahliae. In Brazil, this pathogen imposes a great threat to tomato crops, causing severe economic losses, because the infection of V. dahliae can cause wilt, chlorosis and lesions which can ultimately result in plant death. Epigenetic proteins involved in gene expression modulation are also involved in the resistance against V. dahliae; however, this relation have not been explored in the defense response of S. lycopersicum against the fungus. Previous research performed by our laboratory revealed that SlBBX17, a protein from the BBX family of genes, act as positive modulator of the JA signaling pathway. A yeast-one-hybrid experiment with the promoter of SlBBX17 identified two interactor proteins: HISTONE DEACETYLASE 8 (SlHDA8) and MORF RELATED GENE 2 (SlMRG2). Both proteins are involved in epigenetic modulation of gene expression, but, so far, little is known about their function in the JA-mediated defense against pathogens in tomato. Therefore, in this project we aim to study the role of SlHDA8, SlMRG2 and SlBBX17 proteins in the defense response to V. dahliae infection in S. lycopersicum.