title: Multiple garlic (Allium sativum L.) microRNAs regulate the immunity against the basal rot fungus Fusarium oxysporum f. sp. Cepae.
abstract: The basal plate rot fungus, Fusarium oxysporum f. sp. cepae (FOC), is the most devastating pathogen posing a serious threat to garlic (Allium sativum L.) production worldwide. MicroRNAs (miRNAs) are key modulators of gene expression related to development and defense responses in eukaryotes. However, the miRNA species associated with garlic immunity against FOC are yet to be explored. In the present study, a small RNA library developed from FOC infected resistant garlic line was sequenced to identify immune responsive miRNAs. Forty-five miRNAs representing 39 conserved and six novel sequences responsive to FOC were detected. qRT-PCR analyses further classified them into three classes based on their expression patterns in susceptible line CBT-As11 and in the resistant line CBT-As153. North-blot analyses of six selective miRNAs confirmed the qRT-PCR results. Expression studies on a selective set of target genes revealed a negative correlation with the complementary miRNAs. Furthermore, transgenic garlic plant overexpresing miR164a, miR168a and miR393 showed enhanced resistance to FOC, as revealed by decreased fungal growth and up-regulated expression of defense-responsive genes. These results indicate that multiple miRNAs are involved in garlic immunity against FOC and that the overexpression of miR164a, miR168a and miR393 can augment garlic resistance to Fusarium basal rot infection.
authors.affiliation: Functional Genomics Laboratory, Centre of Biotechnology, Siksha O Anusandhan University, Bhubaneswar, Odisha, India.
authors.forename: Subodh Kumar
authors.initials: SK
authors.lastname: Chand
authors.affiliation: Functional Genomics Laboratory, Centre of Biotechnology, Siksha O Anusandhan University, Bhubaneswar, Odisha, India.
authors.forename: Satyabrata
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Nanda
authors.affiliation: Functional Genomics Laboratory, Centre of Biotechnology, Siksha O Anusandhan University, Bhubaneswar, Odisha, India.
authors.forename: Rukmini
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Mishra
authors.affiliation: Functional Genomics Laboratory, Centre of Biotechnology, Siksha O Anusandhan University, Bhubaneswar, Odisha, India. Electronic address: rajjoshi@soauniversity.ac.in.
authors.forename: Raj Kumar
authors.initials: RK
authors.lastname: Joshi
mesh_terms: D001483:Base Sequence; D060467:Disease Resistance / Q000235:genetics / Q000276:immunology; D005670:Fusarium / Q000502:physiology*; D005737:Garlic / Q000235:genetics* / Q000276:immunology* / Q000382:microbiology; D020869:Gene Expression Profiling; D018506:Gene Expression Regulation, Plant; D015723:Gene Library; D017343:Genes, Plant; D035683:MicroRNAs / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D009690:Nucleic Acid Conformation; D010935:Plant Diseases / Q000235:genetics* / Q000276:immunology / Q000382:microbiology*; D057865:Plant Immunity / Q000235:genetics*; D030821:Plants, Genetically Modified; D015203:Reproducibility of Results
chemical_list: D035683:MicroRNAs
keywords: Allium sativum; Basal rot; Fusarium oxysporum f. sp. cepae; Plant immunity; microRNAs