title: Resistance to Ditylenchus destructor Infection in Sweet Potato by the Expression of Small Interfering RNAs Targeting unc-15, a Movement-Related Gene.
abstract: Stem nematode (Ditylenchus destructor) is one of most serious diseases that limit the productivity and quality of sweet potato (Ipomoea batatas), a root crop with worldwide importance for food security and nutrition improvement. Hence, there is a global demand for developing sweet potato varieties that are resistant to the disease. In this study, we have investigated the interference of stem nematode infectivity by the expression of small interfering RNAs (siRNAs) in transgenic sweet potato that are homologous to the unc-15 gene, which affects the muscle protein paramyosin of the pathogen. The production of double-stranded RNAs and siRNAs in transgenic lines with a single transgene integration event was verified by Northern blot analysis. The expression of unc-15 was reduced dramatically in stem nematodes collected from the inoculated storage roots of transgenic plants, and the infection areas of their storage roots were dramatically smaller than that of wild-type (WT). Compared with the WT, the transgenic plants showed increased yield in the stem nematode-infested field. Our results demonstrate that the expression of siRNAs targeting the unc-15 gene of D. destructor is an effective approach in improving stem nematode resistance in sweet potato, in adjunct with the global integrated pest management programs.
authors.affiliation: First, second, third, and eighth authors: National Key Laboratory of Plant Molecular Genetics, Institute of Plant Physiology and Ecology, Shanghai Institutes for Biological Sciences, Chinese Academy of Sciences, 300 Fenglin Road, Shanghai 200032, China; fourth and seventh authors: Institute of Food Crops, Jiangsu Academy of Agricultural Sciences, 50 Zhongling Street, Nanjing 210014, China; fifth and sixth authors: Tai'an Academy of Agricultural Science, 16 Tailai Road, Tai'an, Shandong 271000, China; and eighth author: Shanghai Key Laboratory of Plant Functional Genomics and Resources, Shanghai Chenshan Plant Science Research Center, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shanghai Chenshan Botanical Garden, 3888 Chenhua Road, Shanghai 201602, China.
authors.forename: Weijuan
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Fan
authors.affiliation: First, second, third, and eighth authors: National Key Laboratory of Plant Molecular Genetics, Institute of Plant Physiology and Ecology, Shanghai Institutes for Biological Sciences, Chinese Academy of Sciences, 300 Fenglin Road, Shanghai 200032, China; fourth and seventh authors: Institute of Food Crops, Jiangsu Academy of Agricultural Sciences, 50 Zhongling Street, Nanjing 210014, China; fifth and sixth authors: Tai'an Academy of Agricultural Science, 16 Tailai Road, Tai'an, Shandong 271000, China; and eighth author: Shanghai Key Laboratory of Plant Functional Genomics and Resources, Shanghai Chenshan Plant Science Research Center, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shanghai Chenshan Botanical Garden, 3888 Chenhua Road, Shanghai 201602, China.
authors.forename: Zhaorong
authors.initials: Z
authors.lastname: Wei
authors.affiliation: First, second, third, and eighth authors: National Key Laboratory of Plant Molecular Genetics, Institute of Plant Physiology and Ecology, Shanghai Institutes for Biological Sciences, Chinese Academy of Sciences, 300 Fenglin Road, Shanghai 200032, China; fourth and seventh authors: Institute of Food Crops, Jiangsu Academy of Agricultural Sciences, 50 Zhongling Street, Nanjing 210014, China; fifth and sixth authors: Tai'an Academy of Agricultural Science, 16 Tailai Road, Tai'an, Shandong 271000, China; and eighth author: Shanghai Key Laboratory of Plant Functional Genomics and Resources, Shanghai Chenshan Plant Science Research Center, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shanghai Chenshan Botanical Garden, 3888 Chenhua Road, Shanghai 201602, China.
authors.forename: Min
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Zhang
authors.affiliation: First, second, third, and eighth authors: National Key Laboratory of Plant Molecular Genetics, Institute of Plant Physiology and Ecology, Shanghai Institutes for Biological Sciences, Chinese Academy of Sciences, 300 Fenglin Road, Shanghai 200032, China; fourth and seventh authors: Institute of Food Crops, Jiangsu Academy of Agricultural Sciences, 50 Zhongling Street, Nanjing 210014, China; fifth and sixth authors: Tai'an Academy of Agricultural Science, 16 Tailai Road, Tai'an, Shandong 271000, China; and eighth author: Shanghai Key Laboratory of Plant Functional Genomics and Resources, Shanghai Chenshan Plant Science Research Center, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shanghai Chenshan Botanical Garden, 3888 Chenhua Road, Shanghai 201602, China.
authors.forename: Peiyong
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Ma
authors.affiliation: First, second, third, and eighth authors: National Key Laboratory of Plant Molecular Genetics, Institute of Plant Physiology and Ecology, Shanghai Institutes for Biological Sciences, Chinese Academy of Sciences, 300 Fenglin Road, Shanghai 200032, China; fourth and seventh authors: Institute of Food Crops, Jiangsu Academy of Agricultural Sciences, 50 Zhongling Street, Nanjing 210014, China; fifth and sixth authors: Tai'an Academy of Agricultural Science, 16 Tailai Road, Tai'an, Shandong 271000, China; and eighth author: Shanghai Key Laboratory of Plant Functional Genomics and Resources, Shanghai Chenshan Plant Science Research Center, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shanghai Chenshan Botanical Garden, 3888 Chenhua Road, Shanghai 201602, China.
authors.forename: Guiling
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Liu
authors.affiliation: First, second, third, and eighth authors: National Key Laboratory of Plant Molecular Genetics, Institute of Plant Physiology and Ecology, Shanghai Institutes for Biological Sciences, Chinese Academy of Sciences, 300 Fenglin Road, Shanghai 200032, China; fourth and seventh authors: Institute of Food Crops, Jiangsu Academy of Agricultural Sciences, 50 Zhongling Street, Nanjing 210014, China; fifth and sixth authors: Tai'an Academy of Agricultural Science, 16 Tailai Road, Tai'an, Shandong 271000, China; and eighth author: Shanghai Key Laboratory of Plant Functional Genomics and Resources, Shanghai Chenshan Plant Science Research Center, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shanghai Chenshan Botanical Garden, 3888 Chenhua Road, Shanghai 201602, China.
authors.forename: Jianli
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Zheng
authors.affiliation: First, second, third, and eighth authors: National Key Laboratory of Plant Molecular Genetics, Institute of Plant Physiology and Ecology, Shanghai Institutes for Biological Sciences, Chinese Academy of Sciences, 300 Fenglin Road, Shanghai 200032, China; fourth and seventh authors: Institute of Food Crops, Jiangsu Academy of Agricultural Sciences, 50 Zhongling Street, Nanjing 210014, China; fifth and sixth authors: Tai'an Academy of Agricultural Science, 16 Tailai Road, Tai'an, Shandong 271000, China; and eighth author: Shanghai Key Laboratory of Plant Functional Genomics and Resources, Shanghai Chenshan Plant Science Research Center, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shanghai Chenshan Botanical Garden, 3888 Chenhua Road, Shanghai 201602, China.
authors.forename: Xiaoding
authors.initials: X
authors.lastname: Guo
authors.affiliation: First, second, third, and eighth authors: National Key Laboratory of Plant Molecular Genetics, Institute of Plant Physiology and Ecology, Shanghai Institutes for Biological Sciences, Chinese Academy of Sciences, 300 Fenglin Road, Shanghai 200032, China; fourth and seventh authors: Institute of Food Crops, Jiangsu Academy of Agricultural Sciences, 50 Zhongling Street, Nanjing 210014, China; fifth and sixth authors: Tai'an Academy of Agricultural Science, 16 Tailai Road, Tai'an, Shandong 271000, China; and eighth author: Shanghai Key Laboratory of Plant Functional Genomics and Resources, Shanghai Chenshan Plant Science Research Center, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shanghai Chenshan Botanical Garden, 3888 Chenhua Road, Shanghai 201602, China.
authors.forename: Peng
authors.identifier: http://orcid.org/0000-0002-4868-1306
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Zhang
mesh_terms: D000595:Amino Acid Sequence; D000818:Animals; D018533:Biomass; D015139:Blotting, Southern; D060467:Disease Resistance; D015801:Helminth Proteins / Q000235:genetics*; D006790:Host-Parasite Interactions; D027723:Ipomoea batatas / Q000235:genetics / Q000276:immunology* / Q000469:parasitology; D008124:Locomotion / Q000235:genetics; D008969:Molecular Sequence Data; D010571:Pest Control; D010641:Phenotype; D010935:Plant Diseases; D030821:Plants, Genetically Modified; D034622:RNA Interference; D034741:RNA, Small Interfering / Q000378:metabolism; D060888:Real-Time Polymerase Chain Reaction; D020133:Reverse Transcriptase Polymerase Chain Reaction; D014431:Tylenchoidea / Q000235:genetics*
chemical_list: D015801:Helminth Proteins; D034741:RNA, Small Interfering