Ethylene Response Factor (ERF) genes modulate plant root exudate composition and the attraction of plant parasitic nematodes

• Published in: International journal for parasitology 2019-12, Vol.49 (13-14), p.999-1003
• Main Authors: Dyer, Steven, Weir, Ryan, Cox, Deborah, Cheseto, Xavier, Torto, Baldwyn, Dalzell, Johnathan J.
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Agrobacterium tumefaciens; Animals; Bacillus subtilis; Biological Factors - analysis; DNA-Binding Proteins - genetics; DNA-Binding Proteins - metabolism; Ethylenes - metabolism; Exudates and Transudates - chemistry; Exudates and Transudates - metabolism; Gas Chromatography-Mass Spectrometry; Gene Expression Regulation, Plant; Gene Knockdown Techniques; Globodera pallida; Host finding; Lycopersicon esculentum - genetics; Lycopersicon esculentum - metabolism; Lycopersicon esculentum - parasitology; Meloidogyne incognita; Meloidogyne javanica; Plant Diseases - parasitology; Plant Growth Regulators - metabolism; Plant Proteins - genetics; Plant Proteins - metabolism; Plant Roots - metabolism; Signal Transduction; Tomato; Tylenchoidea - drug effects; VIGS
• ISSN: 0020-7519; 1879-0135
• DOI: 10.1016/j.ijpara.2019.09.001

[Display omitted] •ERF-E2 knockdown enhances the attraction of Meloidogyne incognita and Globodera pallida to tomato root exudates.•ERF-E2 knockdown has no impact on the attraction of Meloidogyne javanica, Bacillus subtilis or Agrobacterium tumefaciens.•ERF-E3 knockdown has no impact on the attraction of plant parasitic nematodes or microbes.•GC–MS analysis of experimentally manipulated root exudates reveals major changes in composition following gene knockdown [•ERF genes represent viable targets for the modification of root exudate composition, and parasite interactions. Plant root exudates are compositionally diverse, plastic and adaptive. Ethylene signalling influences the attraction of plant parasitic nematodes, presumably through the modulation of root exudate composition. Understanding this pathway could lead to new sources of crop parasite resistance. Here we used Virus-Induced Gene Silencing to knock down the expression of two Ethylene Response Factor (ERF) genes, ERF-E2 and ERF-E3, in tomato. Root exudates were significantly more attractive to the PPNs Meloidogyne incognita and Globodera pallida following knockdown of ERF-E2, which had no impact on the attraction of Meloidogyne javanica. Knockdown of ERF-E3 had no impact on the attraction of Meloidogyne or Globodera spp. Gas Chromatography Mass Spectrometry analysis revealed major changes in root exudate composition relative to controls. However, these changes did not alter the attraction of rhizosphere microbes Bacillus subtilis or Agrobacterium tumefaciens. This study further supports the potential of engineering plant root exudate for parasite control, through the modulation of plant genes.