title: Ectopic expression of a Meloidogyne incognita dorsal gland protein in tobacco accelerates the formation of the nematode feeding site.
abstract: Meloidogyne spp., plant-parasitic nematodes present worldwide, are intensively studied because of the damage caused to a large variety of agronomically important crops. Several reports indicate that proteins from the Meloidogyne spp. dorsal gland might play an important role to allow proper establishment of a functional nematode feeding site. The precise role of these proteins in the process of feeding cell development is unknown. To gain insights into the function of these secreted M. incognita proteins, we constitutively (ectopically) expressed the nematodes dorsal gland protein 7E12 in tobacco plants. It was found that the number of galls at 8 and 16 days after nematode infection was significantly higher in transgenic plants compared to control plants. Eggs from nematodes in transgenic plants hatched faster than those in control plants. Histological analysis of nematode induced galls in transgenic plants clearly shows a different morphology. Giant feeding cells harbor more vacuoles and an increased amount of cell wall invaginations, while neighboring cells surrounding feeding cells are more numerous. These results suggest that the presence of the 7E12 protein in tobacco accelerates gall formation. This assumption is supported by our data illustrating faster gall formation and egg eclosion in transgenic plants.
authors.affiliation: Universidade de Brasília, Campus Universitário Darcy Ribeiro, Asa Norte, Brasília, DF, Brazil; Embrapa Recursos Genéticos e Biotecnologia, Parque Estação Biológica, Av. W5 Norte Final, Brasília, DF, Brazil.
authors.forename: Djair Dos Santos de Lima e
authors.initials: Ddos S
authors.lastname: Souza
authors.forename: José Dijair Antonino
authors.initials: JD
authors.lastname: de Souza
authors.forename: Maíra
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Grossi-de-Sá
authors.forename: Thales Lima
authors.initials: TL
authors.lastname: Rocha
authors.forename: Rodrigo da Rocha
authors.initials: RR
authors.lastname: Fragoso
authors.forename: Aulus Estevão Anjos de Deus
authors.initials: AE
authors.lastname: Barbosa
authors.forename: Gustavo Ramos
authors.initials: GR
authors.lastname: de Oliveira
authors.forename: Erich Yukio Tempel
authors.initials: EY
authors.lastname: Nakasu
authors.forename: Bruna Araújo
authors.initials: BA
authors.lastname: de Sousa
authors.forename: Natália Faustino
authors.initials: NF
authors.lastname: Pires
authors.forename: Diva Maria de Alencar
authors.initials: DM
authors.lastname: Dusi
authors.forename: Regina Maria Dechechi Gomes
authors.initials: RM
authors.lastname: Carneiro
authors.forename: Eduardo
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Romano
authors.forename: Janice
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: de Almeida-Engler
authors.forename: Gilbert
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Engler
authors.forename: Cezar
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Martins-de-Sá
authors.forename: Maria Fátima
authors.initials: MF
authors.lastname: Grossi-de-Sá
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D018076:DNA, Complementary / Q000235:genetics; D005260:Female; D015870:Gene Expression; D049452:Green Fluorescent Proteins; D015801:Helminth Proteins / Q000235:genetics* / Q000378:metabolism; D006790:Host-Parasite Interactions; D010270:Parasite Egg Count; D010641:Phenotype; D010935:Plant Diseases / Q000235:genetics / Q000469:parasitology*; D018517:Plant Roots / Q000235:genetics / Q000469:parasitology / Q000648:ultrastructure; D030821:Plants, Genetically Modified / Q000469:parasitology; D012333:RNA, Messenger / Q000737:chemistry; D011993:Recombinant Fusion Proteins / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D013997:Time Factors; D014026:Nicotiana / Q000235:genetics* / Q000469:parasitology* / Q000648:ultrastructure; D014431:Tylenchoidea / Q000235:genetics / Q000254:growth & development / Q000472:pathogenicity / Q000502:physiology*
chemical_list: D018076:DNA, Complementary; D015801:Helminth Proteins; D012333:RNA, Messenger; D011993:Recombinant Fusion Proteins; D049452:Green Fluorescent Proteins