Post-transcriptional gene silencing of root-knot nematode in transformed soybean roots

• Published in: Experimental parasitology Vol. 127; no. 1; pp. 90 - 99
• Main Authors: Ibrahim, Heba M.M., Alkharouf, Nadim W., Meyer, Susan L.F., Aly, Mohammed A.M., Gamal El-Din, Abd El Kader Y., Hussein, Ebtissam H.A., Matthews, Benjamin F.
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Amsterdam Elsevier Inc 2011; Elsevier
• Subjects: Animals; Biological and medical sciences; Caenorhabditis elegans; Cysts; Fundamental and applied biological sciences. Psychology; Galls; Gene silencing; genes; Glycine; Glycine max; Glycine max - parasitology; Helminth Proteins - genetics; Heterodera glycines; In planta RNAi; Invertebrates; L-Lactate Dehydrogenase - genetics; Life cycle. Host-agent relationship. Pathogenesis; Meloidogyne incognita; Mitochondria; Nemathelminthia. Plathelmintha; Nematoda; parasitology; Plant Roots - parasitology; Plant Tumors - parasitology; Plant-parasitic nematode; Post-transcription; Protein Tyrosine Phosphatases - genetics; Protein-tyrosine-phosphatase; Protozoa; Resistance; Reverse Transcriptase Polymerase Chain Reaction; RNA Interference; RNA, Helminth - genetics; RNA-mediated interference; RNAi; Root transformation; Root-knot nematode (RKN); root-knot nematodes; Roots; Soybean; Soybeans; Tylenchoidea - genetics; Tylenchoidea - growth & development; tyrosine; Vectors; Root transformation; RNA interference; F; In planta RNAi; Soybean; dai; hai; LDH; R; Meloidogyne incognita; eGFP; RNAi; EST; qRT-PCR; J2; FMV-sgt; MSP; Glycine max; Resistance; Gene silencing; Plant-parasitic nematode; RKN; TP; ATP; Root-knot nematode (RKN); Transformation; RNA; Pest; Phytophagous; Dicotyledones; Angiospermae; Nematoda; Root; Interference; Parasite; Sensitivity resistance; Leguminosae; Helmintha; Nemathelminthia; Spermatophyta; Invertebrata
• ISSN: 0014-4894; 1090-2449
• DOI: 10.1016/j.exppara.2010.06.037

RNAi constructs targeted to four different genes were examined to determine their efficacy to reduce galls formed by
Meloidogyne incognita in soybean roots. These genes have high similarity with essential soybean cyst nematode (
Heterodera glycines) and
Caenorhabditis elegans genes. Transformed roots were challenged with
M. incognita. Two constructs, targeted to genes encoding tyrosine phosphatase (TP) and mitochondrial stress-70 protein precursor (MSP), respectively, strongly interfered with
M. incognita gall formation. The number of galls formed on roots transformed with constructs targeting the
M. incognita TP and MSP genes was reduced by 92% and 94.7%, respectively. The diameter of
M. incognita inside these transformed roots was 5.4 and 6.5 times less than the diameter of
M. incognita found inside control plants transformed with the empty vector. These results indicate that silencing the genes encoding TP and MSP can greatly decrease gall formation and shows a promising solution for broadening resistance of plants against this plant-parasitic nematode.