RNAseq Transcriptional Profiling following Whip Development in Sugarcane Smut Disease

Author(s)

Schaker, Patricia D. C. ; Palhares, Alessandra C. ; Taniguti, Lucas M. ; Peters, Leila P. ; Creste, Silvana ; Aitken, Karen S. ; Van Sluys, Marie-Anne ; Kitajima, Joao P. ; Vieira, Maria L. C. ; Monteiro-Vitorello, Claudia B.

• Document type: Journal article
• Source: PLoS One; v. 11, n. 9 SEP 1 2016.
• Web of Science Citations: 9

Abstract

Sugarcane smut disease is caused by the biotrophic fungus Sporisorium scitamineum. The disease is characterized by the development of a whip-like structure from the primary meristems, where billions of teliospores are produced. Sugarcane smut also causes tillering and low sucrose and high fiber contents, reducing cane productivity. We investigated the biological events contributing to disease symptoms in a smut intermediate-resistant sugarcane genotype by examining the transcriptional profiles (RNAseq) shortly after inoculating the plants and immediately after whip emission. The overall picture of disease progression suggests that premature transcriptional reprogramming of the shoot meristem functions continues until the emergence of the whip. The guidance of this altered pattern is potentially primarily related to auxin mobilization in addition to the involvement of other hormonal imbalances. The consequences associated with whip emission are the modulation of typical meristematic functions toward reproductive organ differentiation, requiring strong changes in carbon partitioning and energy production. These changes include the overexpression of genes coding for invertases and trehalose-6P synthase, as well as other enzymes from key metabolic pathways, such as from lignin biosynthesis. This is the first report describing changes in the transcriptional profiles following whip development, providing a hypothetical model and candidate genes to further study sugarcane smut disease progression. (AU)

• FAPESP's process: 10/05591-9 - Genetic studies of the Sporosorium scitamineum, the causal agent of sugarcane smut
• Grantee: Claudia Barros Monteiro Vitorello
• Support Opportunities: Regular Research Grants
• FAPESP's process: 15/07112-4 - Connecting the dots to understand sugarcane smut: systems biology of the sugarcane-Sporisorium scitamineum molecular interaction
• Grantee: Claudia Barros Monteiro Vitorello
• Support Opportunities: Regular Research Grants
• FAPESP's process: 12/09524-0 - Molecular studies on the interaction sugarcane x Sporisorium scitamineum, the smut causal agent
• Grantee: Alessandra Carolina Palhares
• Support Opportunities: Scholarships in Brazil - Doctorate
• FAPESP's process: 13/25599-2 - Study of sugarcane metabolism modulation by the plant pathogenic fungus Sporisorium scitamineum
• Grantee: Patricia Dayane Carvalho Schaker
• Support Opportunities: Scholarships in Brazil - Doctorate