Transcriptome Analysis of Tobacco's Response to P. parasitica Infection

Transcriptome analysis was conducted on tobacco plants at different time points after being inoculated with the pathogenic fungus, P. parasitica. The aim of the study was to investigate the molecular mechanisms underlying plant-pathogen interactions and to identify genes involved in the defense response of tobacco plants.

Tobacco plants were inoculated with P. parasitica, and leaf tissue samples were collected at 0, 12, 24, 48, and 72 hours post-inoculation. RNA was extracted from the samples, and transcriptome sequencing was performed using the Illumina platform.

The results showed that a total of 15,216 genes were differentially expressed at different time points after inoculation. Among these genes, 7,734 were upregulated and 7,482 were downregulated.

Gene ontology (GO) enrichment analysis revealed that the upregulated genes were mainly involved in defense response, signal transduction, and transcription regulation. In contrast, the downregulated genes were mainly involved in photosynthesis and carbohydrate metabolism.

Pathway enrichment analysis showed that the upregulated genes were enriched in the plant-pathogen interaction pathway, biosynthesis of secondary metabolites pathway, and phenylpropanoid biosynthesis pathway. The downregulated genes were enriched in the photosynthesis pathway and carbon fixation pathway.

Several key genes involved in plant defense response were identified, including WRKY transcription factors, MAPKs, and PR proteins. These genes may play important roles in the defense response of tobacco plants to P. parasitica infection.

In conclusion, this study provides valuable insights into the molecular mechanisms underlying plant-pathogen interactions and identifies potential targets for improving plant resistance to fungal pathogens.