Expression of radish defensin (RsAFP2) gene in chickpea (Cicer arietinum L.) confers resistance to Fusarium wilt disease

Abstract

Chickpea (Cicer arietinum L.) is a major nutritional source cultivated worldwide. Chickpea is vulnerable to several abiotic and biotic stresses, including different types of soil-borne pathogens like Fusarium oxysporum f. sp. ciceri, which causes root rot disease and severely affects productivity. The putative transgenic plants were obtained with the Radish defensin (Rs-AFP2) gene through Agrobacterium tumefaciens mediated transformation using the embryo axis explants. Transgenes were con rmed in 18 putative transgenic plants with PCR-speci c primers for nptII and Rs-AFP2 genes. Twelve transgenic plants were established successfully under greenhouse conditions. The T0 plants were allowed for selfpollination and obtained T1 seeds. The T1 plants were selected for Fusarium wilt assay using Fusarium oxysporum f. sp. ciceri. The T1 plants showed different resistance levels, from moderate to high levels. The control plants (wild-type) exhibited severe wilt symptoms after Fusarium infection.

Bioinformatic analysis of wheat defensin gene family and function verification of candidate genes

“…The carrot defensin Rs-AFP2 binds to the nerve sphingolipid glucosylceramide (GlcCer) and acts on the cell membrane, with the binding site being the sphingolipid on the outside of the phospholipid. This in turn disrupts the cell membrane and alters its permeability, resulting in Ca 2+ in-flow, K + out-flow, and liquefaction of the culture medium ( Sadhu et al., 2023 ). In addition, it has been shown that the tolerance of certain plants to the heavy metal zinc is related to phyto-defensin.…”