Transcriptomic response of Huanglongbing infected Citrus sinensis following field application of a microbial fermentation product
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ABSTRACT: Huanglongbing (HLB) is considered the most destructive disease in Citrus production and threatens the future of the industry. Microbial derived defence elicitors have gained recognition for their role in plant defence priming. A transcriptomic assessment using GeneChip microarray of the hour 6 samples revealed differential expression of 565 genes when MFA was applied to healthy trees and 909 genes when applied infected citrus trees when compared to their respective controls. There were 403 uniquely differentially expressed genes in response to MFA following an intersectional analysis of both healthy and infected citrus trees. The transcriptomic analysis revealed that several genes associated with plant development, growth and defence were upregulated in response to MFA, including, multiple PR genes, lignin formation genes, ROS related genes, hormone synthases and hormone regulators.
Project description:Huanglongbing (HLB) (=citrus greening) is a destructive disease of citrus which is caused by a fastidious, phloem-inhabiting bacterium of the genus Candidatus Liberibacter. Large-scale analysis of gene expression changes in ‘Valencia’ orange leaves were studied during the course of 19 weeks after inoculation with Ca. L. asiaticus using the Affymetrix GeneChip® citrus genome array to provide new insights into the molecular basis of citrus response to this pathogen. Of the more than 33,000 probe sets on the microarray 21,067 were expressed in the leaves, of which 279 and 515 were differentially expressed (FDR ≤ 0.05) five to nine and 13-17 weeks after inoculation, respectively. Results from semi-quantitative RT-PCR analysis performed on 14 selected genes were highly correlated with those observed with the microarray. Gene expression changes involved a variety of different processes including cell defense, transport, cellular organization, photosynthesis, and carbohydrate metabolism. Notable was the pathogen-induced accumulation of transcripts for a phloem-specific lectin PP2-like protein. Transcriptional changes and their relation to disease symptom development are discussed. This is the first study of transcriptional profiling in citrus in response to liberibacter infection using microarray technology. Huanglongbing (HLB) is a destructive disease of citrus which is suspected to be caused by a phloem-inhabiting bacterium of the genus Candidatus Liberibacter. Large-scale analysis of gene expression changes in ‘Valencia’ orange (C. sinensis) leaves were studied during the course of 19 weeks after inoculation with Ca. L. asiaticus (Las), the pathogen associated with HLB in Florida, using the Affymetrix GeneChip® citrus genome array to provide new insights into the molecular basis of citrus response to this pathogen. Three year-old 'Valencia' orange (C. sinensis) scions on Cleopatra mandarin (C. reticulata Blanco) rootstocks were graft-inoculated with non-infected (control) or Las-infected tissue from greenhouse- (control) or field-grown 'Lisbon' lemon (C. limon) trees. Fully expanded leaves were collected at 5, 9, 13, and 17 weeks after inoculation (wai). Total RNA was extracted from two control plants and from three Las-inoculated plants per time point. Equal amounts of RNA were combined from samples collected 5 wai and 9 wai and from samples collected 13 wai and 17 wai, resulting in two non-infected and three infected biological replicates for both early (5-9 wai) and late (13-17 wai) time points and used for hybridization on Affymetrix citrus microarrays.
Project description:Huanglongbing (HLB) is a worldwide devastating disease of citrus. There are no effective control measures for this newly emerging but century-old disease. Previously, we reported a combination of Penicillin G and Streptomycin was effective in eliminating or suppressing the associated bacterium, M-bM-^@M-^XCandidatus Liberibacter asiaticusM-bM-^@M-^Y (Las). Here we report the bacterial composition and community structure in HLB-affected citrus plants during a growing season and while being treated with antibiotic combinations PS (Penicillin G and Streptomycin) and KO (Kasugamycin and Oxytetracycline) using the PhylochipM-bM-^DM-" G3 array. The antibiotic treatments were conducted on the randomized complete block design with four replicates. For each replicate, five HLB-affected, 7-year-old citrus trees (a unique hybrid, 10c-5-58, which is an open-pollinated seedling from the combination of Lee mandarin M-CM-^W Orlando tangelo) at the USHRL farm, 10 cm in diameter, were injected with either 100 ml of the antibiotic combination treatment PS (5 g of penicillin G potassium + 0.5 g of Streptomycin per tree) or the antibiotic treatment KO (2 g of oxytetracycline + 1.0 g of kasugamycin per tree). Five trees were injected with water as injection controls (CK). Injections were made using an Avo-Ject syringe injector (a catheter-tipped 60 ml syringe; Aongatete Coolstores Ltd., NZ) beginning in August of 2010. The tapered tip was firmly fitted into a 19/64-in (7.5 mm) diameter hole, M-bM-^IM-^H3 cm deep, drilled into the tree. The injector was kept in the tree and the treatment lasted for one week in each injection-trunk. Treatments were repeated every 2 months for one year and ceased in August of 2011. Before and during treatment more than 30 leaf samples per tree were taken from different positions around the tree canopies for qPCR assays at 2 month intervals.DNA for the PhyloChipM-bM-^DM-" G3 analysis, which was extracted from 20 samples of the same treatment, was pooled in equal amounts and quantified by the PicoGreenM-BM-. method. The PhyloChipTM G3 analysis was conducted by Second Genome Inc. (San Francisco, CA).
Project description:Devastating citrus disease Huanglongbing (HLB) is without existing cures. Herein, we present results demonstrating the possible mechanisms (hypoxia stress) behind HLB-triggered shoot dieback by comparing the transcriptomes, hormone profiles, and key enzyme activities in buds of severely and mildly symptomatic ‘Hamlin’ sweet orange (Citrus sinensis). Within six months (October – May) in field conditions, severe trees had 23% bud dieback, greater than mild trees (11%), with a concomitant reduction in canopy density. In February, differentially expressed genes (DEGs) associated with responses to osmotic stress, low oxygen levels, and cell death were upregulated, with those for photosynthesis and cell cycle downregulated in severe versus mild trees. For severe trees, not only were the key markers for hypoxia, including anaerobic fermentation, reactive oxygen species (ROS) production, and lipid oxidation, transcriptionally upregulated, but also alcohol dehydrogenase activity was significantly greater compared to mild trees, indicating a link between bud dieback and hypoxia. Tricarboxylic acid cycle revival, given the upregulation of glutamate dehydrogenase and alanine aminotransferase DEGs, suggests that ROS may also be generated during hypoxiareoxygenation. Greater (hormonal) ratios of abscisic acid to cytokinins and jasmonates and upregulated DEGs encoding NADPH oxidases in severe versus mild trees indicate additional ROS production under limited oxygen availability due to stomata closure. Altogether, our results provided evidence that as HLB progresses, excessive ROS produced in response to hypoxia and during hypoxia-reoxygenation likely intensify the oxidative stress in buds leading to cell death, contributing to marked bud and shoot dieback and decline of the severely symptomatic sweet orange trees.
Project description:In this data set, we reported for the first time that huanglongbing disease (HLB) induces major changes in the expression of global genes in flavedo, vascular and juice vesicle tissues of citrus fruit. 68 Total samples were analyzed. cDNA generation, array analysis, and statistical tests were performed as a service at the Interdisciplinary Center for Biotechnology Research (ICBR) Microarray Core facility at the University of Florida (Gainesville, FL). The linear models were used for array analysis (Smyth GK et al. Bioinformatics, 2005, 2067-2075). The linear models were firstly used to assess differential expression, and then an empirical Bayes method was used to moderate the standard errors. 13 comparisons were performed for the study. The comparisons in Citrus sinensis cv. Hamlin included: SC vs. CC (genes that respond to infection in symptomatic vascular core); SJV vs. CJV (genes that respond to infection in symptomatic juice vesicle); SS vs. CS (genes that respond to infection in symptomatic seed); SP vs. CP (genes that respond to infection in symptomatic peel). The comparisons in Citrus sinensis cv. Valencia included: SP vs. HP (genes that respond to infection in symptomatic peel); ASP vs. HP (genes that respond to infection in asymptomatic peel); SP vs. ASP (genes that respond to infection in symptomatic peel compared to asymptomatic peel); SC vs. HC (genes that respond to infection in symptomatic vascular core); ASC vs. HC (genes that respond to infection in asymptomatic vascular core); SC vs. ASC (genes that respond to infection in symptomatic vascular core compared to asymptomatic vascular core); SJV vs. HJV (genes that respond to infection in symptomatic juice vesicle); ASJV vs. HJV (genes that respond to infection in asymptomatic juice vesicle); SJV vs. ASJV (genes that respond to infection in symptomatic juice vesicle compared to asymptomatic juice vesicle). ESTs with significant expression changes (P value <0.001; false discovery rate <0.01 with equal or higher than 2-fold changes in expression) were selected for further analysis.
Project description:Background: Eucalyptus species and interspecific hybrids exhibit valuable growth and wood properties that make them a highly desirable commodity. However, these trees are challenged by a wide array of biotic stresses during their lifetimes. The Eucalyptus grandis reference genome sequence provides a resource to study pest and pathogen defence mechanisms in long-lived woody plants. E. grandis trees are generally susceptible to Chrysoporthe austroafricana, a causal agent of stem cankers on eucalypts. The aim of this study was to characterize the defence response of E. grandis against C. austroafricana. Results: Hormone profiling of susceptible and moderately resistant clonal E. grandis genotypes indicated a reduction in salicylic acid and gibberellic acid levels at 3 days post inoculation. We hypothesized that these signaling pathways may facilitate resistance. To further investigate other defence mechanisms at this time point, transcriptome profiling was performed. This revealed that cell wall modifications and response to oxidative stress form part of the defence responses common to both genotypes, whilst changes in the hormone signaling pathways may contribute to resistance. Additionally the expression of selected candidate defence response genes was induced earlier in moderately resistant trees than in susceptible trees, supporting the hypothesis that a delayed defence response may occur in the susceptible interaction. Conclusion: The ability of a host to fine-tune its defence responses is crucial and the responses identified in this study extends our understanding of plant defence, gained from model systems, to woody perennials.
Project description:The dataset for this project was to identify significantly changing papain-like cysteine proteases during Candidatus Liberibacter asiaticus infection in Navel trees from a Texas citrus grove.
Project description:Citrus greening or huanglongbing (HLB) disease is caused by Candidatus liberibacter asiaticus (CLas) and associated with an increase in pre-harvest fruit drop, for which the molecular mechanisms remain unknown. In order to understand the molecular basis of the HLB-associated fruit abscission, by means of RNA-Sequencing analysis (RNA-Seq), transcriptomes in citrus calyx abscission zones were analyzed and compared among fruit dropped (D) or retained (R) from healthy (h) or HLB-diseased (d) trees upon shaking the trees. Cluster analysis based on the transcript reads indicates that dropped fruit from HLB-diseased trees (Dd) have largest distances from all other groups. Differentially expressed genes (DEGs) were identified between Dd and Rd, Dh and Rh, Rd and Rh, Dd and Dh. Wilcoxon test of the whole dataset of DEGs revealed that consistently up-regulated genes in Dd versus Rd and Dd versus Dh are in the functional categories of “secondary metabolism, lipid metabolism and hormone-ethylene and –jasmonate”; while those down-regulated genes didn’t show clear pattern of regulation. Gene ontology (GO) and Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes (KEGG) pathway enrichment analyses indicated that the significant biological processes or pathways involved in HLB-related fruit abscission were those related to defense response, secondary metabolism and hormone signaling. Among them, “response to chitin” was the most significant (p= 9.95E-13) biological process, and “jasmonic acid biosynthesis” was the most significant (p= 4.6E-5) pathway. Genes related to synthesis and signaling of ethylene (ET) and jasmonate (JA) were consistently up-regulated, while abscisic acid, auxin, brassinosteroid, cytokinin, and gibberellin were generally down-regulated in Dd; but not in Dh. Consistent with the transcriptomic data, fruit ethylene production was detected in two third of the Dd fruit, but none of Rd, Dh or Rh fruit. And, in agreement with the hormone expression profiles, substantial numbers of downstream JA/ET-responsive defense related genes were up-regulated in Dd, but not in Dh. Thirty representative DEGs covering categories of hormone, secondary metabolism, and JA/ET responsive defense responses were verified by qRT-PCR. The results indicate that HLB-associated pre-harvest fruit abscission is mediated by JA/ET signaling, which has been known to be triggered by infection of necrotrophic pathogens.
Project description:Citrus greening or huanglongbing (HLB) is a devastating disease of citrus. HLB is associated with the phloem-limited fastidious prokaryotic alpha-proteobacterium Candidatus Liberibacter spp. In this report, we used sweet orange (Citrus sinensis) leaf tissue infected with 'Ca. Liberibacter asiaticus' and compared this with healthy controls. Investigation of the host response was examined with citrus microarray hybridization based on 30,171 sets expressed sequence tag sequences from several citrus species and hybrids. The microarray analysis indicated that HLB infection significantly affected expression of 624 genes whose encoded proteins were categorized according to function. The categories included genes associated with sugar metabolism, plant defense, phytohormone, and cell wall metabolism, as well as 14 other gene categories. Young, healthy Valencia sweet orange (C. sinensis) plants were graft inoculated with budwood from Ca. L. asiaticus-infected citrus plants. Prior to the innocualtion, the plants were confirmed to be Ca. L. asiaticus-free in ordinary and quantitative PCR tests. The presence of the bacteria in the inoculated plants was confirmed in both conventional and quantitative PCR with specific primers to Ca. L. asiaticus. The stem and root samples used for RNA extraction and hybridization on Affymetrix microarrays were obtained from three symptomatic and three healthy control trees of similar size, approximately 1 year after inoculation.
Project description:Root samples of ‘Sanhu’ red tangerine trees infected with and without Candidatus Liberibacter asiaticus (CLas) were collected at 50 days post inoculation and subjected to RNA-sequencingto profile the differentially expressed genes (DEGs) . Results showed that a total of 3956 genes were differentially regulated by HLB-infection. Comparison between our results and those of the previously reported showed that known HLB-modulated biological pathways including cell-wall modification, protease-involved protein degradation, carbohydrate metabolism, hormone synthesis and signaling, transcription activities, and stress responses were similarly regulated by HLB infection but different or root-specific changes did exist. The root unique changes included the down-regulation in genes of ubiquitin-dependent protein degradation pathway, secondary metabolisms, cytochrome P450, UDP-glucosyl transferase and pentatricopeptide repeat containing protein genes. Notably, nutrient absorption was impaired by HLB-infection as the expression of the genes involved in Fe, Zn, N and P adsorption and transportation were significantly changed. HLB-infection induced some cellular defense responses but simultaneously reduced the biosynthesis of the three major classes of secondary metabolites, many of which are known to have anti-pathogen activities. Genes involved in callose deposition were up-regulated whereas those involved in callose degradation were also up-regulated, indicating that the sieve tube elements in roots were hanging on the balance of life and death at this stage. In addition, signs of carbohydrate starvation were already eminent in roots at this stage. Other interesting genes and pathways that were changed by HLB-infection were also discussed based on our findings. Two-year-old seedlings of ‘Sanhu’ red tangerine were grafted with buds from CLas-infected or CLas-free ‘Gonggan’ mandarin trees. Mature leaves and roots were collected from the CLas-inoculated and the control trees every ten days to detect for CLas by PCR. DNA used for PCR was extracted with the use of the Plant DNA isolation Kit (Trans, Beijing, China) according to manufacturer’s instructions. Primers used for CLas detection were the same A2/J5. The fibrous roots of 3 CLas-positive and 3 control CLas-free trees were individually collected at 50 dpi (days post inoculation) when the HLB-inoculated trees became CLas-positive in both leaves and roots yet showed no visible chlorosis and other HLB symptoms. This should have allowed us not to miss too many early responsive genes but at the same time ensured that the trees were infected as expected. Total RNA was extracted from each sample using RNeasy plant mini kit (Qiagen, Valencia, CA) and further purified using the RQ1 Rnase Free Dnase Kit (Promega, Madison, USA). RNA quality and quantity were assessed by gel-electrophoresis and by absorbance at OD260/OD280, respectively. Aliquot RNA samples were stored at -80 ?. For RNA-seq analysis, RNA samples from the three trees were mixed in equal amount and used for cDNA library construction following the Illumina mRNA-sequencing sample preparation protocol (Illumina, San Diego, CA). The 90-bp raw paired end reads were generated by Illumina HiSeqTM 2000. Please note that the features (in the processed data, e.g.,clementine0.9_035093m.g) represent the gene IDs in the Citrus clementina genome at ftp://ftp.jgi-psf.org/pub/JGI_data/phytozome/v9.0/Cclementina/. However, the database has been updated (http://genome.jgi.doe.gov/pages/dynamicOrganismDownload.jsf?organism=PhytozomeV10) with new gene IDs, thus the gene IDs used for this study are not trackable anymore. Therefore, the gene annotation files downloadeded from the previous genome database (v0.9) and used for the data analysis are included in this record.
Project description:Background: Eucalyptus species and interspecific hybrids exhibit valuable growth and wood properties that make them a highly desirable commodity. However, these trees are challenged by a wide array of biotic stresses during their lifetimes. The Eucalyptus grandis reference genome sequence provides a resource to study pest and pathogen defence mechanisms in long-lived woody plants. E. grandis trees are generally susceptible to Chrysoporthe austroafricana, a causal agent of stem cankers on eucalypts. The aim of this study was to characterize the defence response of E. grandis against C. austroafricana. Results: Hormone profiling of susceptible and moderately resistant clonal E. grandis genotypes indicated a reduction in salicylic acid and gibberellic acid levels at 3 days post inoculation. We hypothesized that these signaling pathways may facilitate resistance. To further investigate other defence mechanisms at this time point, transcriptome profiling was performed. This revealed that cell wall modifications and response to oxidative stress form part of the defence responses common to both genotypes, whilst changes in the hormone signaling pathways may contribute to resistance. Additionally the expression of selected candidate defence response genes was induced earlier in moderately resistant trees than in susceptible trees, supporting the hypothesis that a delayed defence response may occur in the susceptible interaction. Conclusion: The ability of a host to fine-tune its defence responses is crucial and the responses identified in this study extends our understanding of plant defence, gained from model systems, to woody perennials. E. grandis trees were stem inoculated with C. austroafricana. RNA was extracted from stem material harvested 3 days post inoculation for transcriptome profiling. Three biological replicates of harvested material was sent for RNA-sequencing