High-Resolution Transcript Profiling of the Atypical Biotrophic Interaction between Theobroma cacao and the Fungal Pathogen Moniliophthora perniciosa

Author(s):Show less -

Pereira Lima Teixeira, Paulo Jose ^[1] ; de Toledo Thomazella, Daniela Paula ^[1] ; Reis, Osvaldo ^[1] ; Vital do Prado, Paula Favoretti ^[1] ; Scatolin do Rio, Maria Carolina ^[1] ; Fiorin, Gabriel Lorencini ^[1] ; Jose, Juliana ^[1] ; Lacerda Costa, Gustavo Gilson ^[1] ; Negri, Victor Augusti ^[1] ; Costa Mondego, Jorge Mauricio ^[2] ; Mieczkowski, Piotr ^[3] ; Guimaraes Pereira, Goncalo Amarante ^[1]

Affiliation

^[1] Univ Estadual Campinas, Inst Biol, Dept Genet Evolucao & Bioagentes, Lab Genom & Expressao, BR-13083970 Campinas, SP - Brazil

^[2] Inst Agron Estado Sao Paulo, Ctr Pesquisa & Desenvolvimento Recursos Genet Veg, BR-13001970 Campinas, SP - Brazil

^[3] Univ N Carolina, Sch Med, Dept Genet, Chapel Hill, NC 27599 - USA

• Document type: Journal article
• Source: PLANT CELL; v. 26, n. 11, p. 4245-4269, NOV 2014.
• Web of Science Citations: 40

Abstract

Witches' broom disease (WBD), caused by the hemibiotrophic fungus Moniliophthora perniciosa, is one of the most devastating diseases of Theobroma cacao, the chocolate tree. In contrast to other hemibiotrophic interactions, the WBD biotrophic stage lasts for months and is responsible for the most distinctive symptoms of the disease, which comprise drastic morphological changes in the infected shoots. Here, we used the dual RNA-seq approach to simultaneously assess the transcriptomes of cacao and M. perniciosa during their peculiar biotrophic interaction. Infection with M. perniciosa triggers massive metabolic reprogramming in the diseased tissues. Although apparently vigorous, the infected shoots are energetically expensive structures characterized by the induction of ineffective defense responses and by a clear carbon deprivation signature. Remarkably, the infection culminates in the establishment of a senescence process in the host, which signals the end of the WBD biotrophic stage. We analyzed the pathogen's transcriptome in unprecedented detail and thereby characterized the fungal nutritional and infection strategies during WBD and identified putative virulence effectors. Interestingly, M. perniciosa biotrophic mycelia develop as long-termparasites that orchestrate changes in plant metabolism to increase the availability of soluble nutrients before plant death. Collectively, our results provide unique insight into an intriguing tropical disease and advance our understanding of the development of (hemi) biotrophic plant-pathogen interactions. (AU)

• FAPESP's process: 12/09136-0 - Comparative genomics of cacao pathogens of the genus Moniliophthora: understanding the mechanisms underlying plant-pathogen interactions
• Grantee: Daniela Paula de Toledo Thomazella
• Support Opportunities: Scholarships in Brazil - Post-Doctoral
• FAPESP's process: 09/50119-9 - Integrated and comparative study of three fungal diseases of cacao: witches' broom, frosty pod rot and brown-rot, aiming at understanding the pathogenic mechanisms for the development of control strategies
• Grantee: Gonçalo Amarante Guimarães Pereira
• Support Opportunities: Research Projects - Thematic Grants