Comparative transcriptome analysis of Armillaria gallica 012m in response to ethephon treatment

Abstract

Background Gastrodia elata, known as a rootless, leafless, achlorophyllous and fully mycoheterotrophic orchid, needs to establish symbionts with particular Armillaria species to acquire nutrition and energy. Previous research findings had approved that ethylene (ET) played an important role in plant-fungi interaction and some receptors of ET had been discovered in microorganisms. However, the molecular mechanisms underlying the role of ET in the interaction between G. elata and Armillaria species remain unknown. Methods Exiguous ethephon (ETH) was added to agar and liquid media to observe the morphological features of mycelium and count the biomass respectively. Mycelium cultured in liquid media with exiguous ETH (0.1 ppm, 2.0 ppm, 5.0 ppm) were chosen to perform whole-transcriptome profiling through the RNA-seq technology (Illumina NGS sequencing). The DEGs of growth-related genes and candidate ET receptor domains were predicted on SMART. Results ETH-0.1 ppm and ETH-2 ppm could significantly improve the mycelium growth of A. gallica 012m, while ETH-5 ppm inhibited the mycelium growth in both solid and liquid media. The number of up-regulated or down-regulated genes increased along with the concentrations of ETH. The growth of mycelia might benefit from the up-regulated expression of Pyr_redox (Pyridine nucleotide-disulphide oxidoreductase), GAL4 (C6 zinc finger) and HMG (High Mobility Group) genes in the ETH-0.1 ppm and ETH-2 ppm. Therefore, the growth of mycelia might be impaired by the down-regulated expression of ZnF_C2H2 and ribosomal protein S4 proteins in the ETH-5 ppm. Seven ET receptor domains were predicted in A. gallica 012m. Based on cluster analysis and comparative studies of proteins, the putative ETH receptor domains of A. gallica 012m have a higher homologous correlation with fungi. Conclusions The responses of A. gallica 012m to ETH had a concentration effect similar to the plants’ responses to ET. Therefore, the number of up-regulated or down-regulated genes are increased along with the concentrations of ETH. Seven ET receptor protein domains were predicted in the genome and transcriptome of A. gallica 012m. We speculate that ETH receptors exist in A. gallica 012m and ethylene might play an important role in the plant-fungi interaction.

Dual RNA sequencing during Trichoderma harzianum–Phytophthora capsici interaction reveals multiple biological processes involved in the inhibition and highlights the cell wall as a potential target

“…Organisms possess the ability to modulate the expression of a substantial number of genes as a means to adapt to various environmental conditions. 56,57 In another study analyzing the interaction between the biocontrol rhizobacterium Lysobacter capsici AZ78 and the soilborne phytopathogenic oomycete Phytophthora infestans, findings were made that a certain number of important pathways involved in pathogen attack were significantly upregulated in Lysobacter capsici, and several primary metabolic pathways were down-regulated in P. infestans. 58 The current study found that very less reads of the RNA-Seq for the interacting samples were mapped into the genome of P. capsici, suggesting that the vitality of P. capsici was considerably lower when subjected to hyperparasitism by T. harzianum compared to P. infestans interacting with L. capsici.…”