Response of putative pathogenicity-related genes in Tilletia indica inciting Karnal bunt of wheat

Karnal bunt of wheat (Tilletia indica) is an important internationally quarantined disease from food security point of view. For understanding host specificity and host-pathogen interaction, putative pathogenicity-related genes were analysed in Tilletia indica in response to host factor at different time points. Highest radial mycelia growth (3.4 cm) was recorded in media amended with susceptible host factor followed by resistant host (2.6 cm) and control (2.0 cm) at 30 days after incubation significantly. Fourteen homologous sequences of putative pathogenicity-related genes, viz. TiPmk1, TiKss1, TiHog1, TiHsp70, TiKpp2, TiCts1, TiHos2, TiChs1, TiPrf1, TiSid1, TiSsp1, TiSte20, TiUbc4 and TiUkc1, were identified in T. indica by in silico analysis. Some of the pathogenicity-related genes were highly expressed significantly in T. indica in response to susceptible host factor as compared to resistant host factor. TiPmk1, TiHog1, TiKss1 were found highly upregulated up to 26-fold (3 days), 20-fold (3 days) and 18-fold (4 days), respectively, significantly in presence of susceptible host factor. The TiCts1 and TiChs1 showed transcripts up to 26-fold (4 days) and 20-fold (3 days) in the presence of susceptible host factor. Further, the TiUbc4 and TiUkc1 were found upregulated up to 20-fold and 7-fold at 8 days and 3 days post incubation. This study provided the insight on expression of putative pathogenicity-related genes in T. indica which will help in understanding the infection mechanism and basis for further functional genomics approach