Novel aspects on the interaction between grapevine and Plasmopara viticola: dual-RNA-Seq analysis highlights gene expression dynamics in the pathogen and the plant during the battle for infection
15openInternationalBothMgaloblishvili, a Vitis vinifera cultivar, exhibits unique resistance traits against Plasmopara
viticola, the downy mildew agent. This oers the unique opportunity of exploring the molecular
responses in compatible and incompatible plant-pathogen interaction. In this study, whole
transcriptomes of Mgaloblishvili, Pinot noir (a V. vinifera susceptible cultivar), and Bianca (a resistant
hybrid) leaves, inoculated and non-inoculated with the pathogen, were used to identify P. viticola
eector-encoding genes and plant susceptibility/resistance genes. Multiple eector-encoding genes
were identified in P. viticola transcriptome, with remarkable expression dierences in relation to
the inoculated grapevine cultivar. Intriguingly, five apoplastic eectors specifically associated with
resistance in V. vinifera. Gene coexpression network analysis identified specific modules and metabolic
changes occurring during infection in the three grapevine cultivars. Analysis of these data allowed,
for the first time, the detection in V. vinifera of a putative P. viticola susceptibility gene, encoding a
LOB domain-containing protein. Finally, the de novo assembly of Mgaloblishvili, Pinot noir, and
Bianca transcriptomes and their comparison highlighted novel candidate genes that might be at the
basis of the resistant phenotype. These results open the way to functional analysis studies and to new
perspectives in molecular breeding of grapevine for resistance to P. viticola.openToffolatti, S.L.; De Lorenzis, G.; Brilli, M.; Moser, M.; Shariati, V.; Tavakol, E.; Maddalena, G.; Passera, A.; Casati, P.; Pindo, M.; Cestaro, A.; Maghradze, D.; Failla, O.; Bianco, P.A.; Quaglino, F.Toffolatti, S.L.; De Lorenzis, G.; Brilli, M.; Moser, M.; Shariati, V.; Tavakol, E.; Maddalena, G.; Passera, A.; Casati, P.; Pindo, M.; Cestaro, A.; Maghradze, D.; Failla, O.; Bianco, P.A.; Quaglino, F
