RT Journal Article SR Electronic T1 miR167-ARF8, an auxin-responsive module involved in the formation of root-knot nematode-induced galls in tomato JF bioRxiv FD Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory SP 2022.07.29.501986 DO 10.1101/2022.07.29.501986 A1 Yara Noureddine A1 Martine da Rocha A1 Jing An A1 Clémence Médina A1 Joffrey Mejias A1 Karine Mulet A1 Michael Quentin A1 Pierre Abad A1 Mohamed Zouine A1 Bruno Favery A1 Stéphanie Jaubert-Possamai YR 2022 UL http://biorxiv.org/content/early/2022/08/01/2022.07.29.501986.abstract AB Root-knot nematodes (RKN) from genus Meloidogyne induce the dedifferentiation of root vascular cells into giant multinucleate feeding cells. These feeding cells result from an extensive reprogramming of gene expression in targeted root cells, as shown by transcriptomic analyses of galls or giant cells from various plant species.Small non-coding RNAs, and messenger RNAs from tomato (Solanum lycopersicum) galls and uninfected roots were sequenced. De novo microRNA prediction in the tomato genome identified microRNAs expressed in galls and uninfected roots. Statistical analyses identified 174 miRNA genes differentially expressed in galls at 7 and/or 14 days post infection (dpi).Integrative analyses combining small non-coding RNA and transcriptome datasets with the specific sequencing of cleaved transcripts identified miRNA targets in tomato galls. Functional analyses of promoter-GUS fusions and CRISPR-Cas9 mutants highlighted the role of the miR167-regulated transcription factor AUXIN RESPONSE FACTOR 8 (ARF8) in giant cell formation.Competing Interest StatementThe authors have declared no competing interest.