Transcriptional and microscopic analyses of citrus stem and root responses to Candidatus Liberibacter asiaticus infection

PLoS One. 2013 Sep 13;8(9):e73742. doi: 10.1371/journal.pone.0073742. eCollection 2013.

Abstract

Huanglongbing (HLB) is the most destructive disease that affects citrus worldwide. The disease has been associated with Candidatus Liberibacter. HLB diseased citrus plants develop a multitude of symptoms including zinc and copper deficiencies, blotchy mottle, corky veins, stunting, and twig dieback. Ca. L. asiaticus infection also seriously affects the roots. Previous study focused on gene expression of leaves and fruit to Ca. L. asiaticus infection. In this study, we compared the gene expression levels of stems and roots of healthy plants with those in Ca. L. asiaticus infected plants using microarrays. Affymetrix microarray analysis showed a total of 988 genes were significantly altered in expression, of which 885 were in the stems, and 111 in the roots. Of these, 551 and 56 were up-regulated, while 334 and 55 were down-regulated in the stem and root samples of HLB diseased trees compared to healthy plants, respectively. Dramatic differences in the transcriptional responses were observed between citrus stems and roots to Ca. L. asiaticus infection, with only 8 genes affected in both the roots and stems. The affected genes are involved in diverse cellular functions, including carbohydrate metabolism, cell wall biogenesis, biotic and abiotic stress responses, signaling and transcriptional factors, transportation, cell organization, protein modification and degradation, development, hormone signaling, metal handling, and redox. Microscopy analysis showed the depletion of starch in the roots of the infected plants but not in healthy plants. Collapse and thickening of cell walls were observed in HLB affected roots, but not as severe as in the stems. This study provides insight into the host response of the stems and roots to Ca. L. asiaticus infection.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Citrus / genetics*
  • Citrus / metabolism
  • Citrus / microbiology
  • Citrus / ultrastructure
  • Gene Expression Profiling
  • Gene Expression Regulation, Plant*
  • Metabolic Networks and Pathways
  • Molecular Sequence Annotation
  • Oligonucleotide Array Sequence Analysis
  • Plant Diseases / genetics*
  • Plant Diseases / microbiology
  • Plant Proteins / genetics*
  • Plant Proteins / metabolism
  • Plant Roots / genetics*
  • Plant Roots / metabolism
  • Plant Roots / microbiology
  • Plant Roots / ultrastructure
  • Plant Stems / genetics*
  • Plant Stems / metabolism
  • Plant Stems / microbiology
  • Plant Stems / ultrastructure
  • Rhizobiaceae / pathogenicity
  • Rhizobiaceae / physiology
  • Starch / deficiency
  • Transcription, Genetic*

Substances

  • Plant Proteins
  • Starch

Grants and funding

This work was supported by the Citrus Research and Development Foundation. The funders had no role in study design, data collection and analysis, decision to publish, or preparation of the manuscript.