Transcriptomic responses of tomato (Solanum lycopersicum) leaves to systemin phytocytokines
To investigate the signaling specificity of four systemin peptides (SYS1, SYS2, SYS3, and SYS4) in tomato defense responses, we performed a comprehensive time-series transcriptomic analysis. Intact tomato seedlings were treated with individual synthetic systemin peptides, and leaf tissue was collected at five time points (0 and 20 minutes, 1, 3, and 8 hours post-treatment) for RNA-seq analysis. This dataset enables comparative analysis of early and late transcriptional reprogramming induced by the canonical systemin SYS1 versus the newly identified SYS2, SYS3, and SYS4 peptides. The data reveal both shared wound-response signatures and peptide-specific gene expression patterns, providing insights into how subtle differences in peptide ligands generate distinct immune outputs through the same receptor SYR1.