Bioinformatics and functional analysis of EDS1 genes in Brassica napus in response to Plasmodiophora brassicae infection

• Published in: Plant science (Limerick) 2024-10, Vol.347, p.112175, Article 112175
• Main Authors: Atem, Jalal Eldeen Chol, Gan, Longcai, Yu, Wenlin, Huang, Fan, Wang, Yanyan, Baloch, Amanullah, Nwafor, Chinedu Charles, Barrie, Alpha Umaru, Chen, Peng, Zhang, Chunyu
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Brassica napus; Brassica napus - genetics; Brassica napus - parasitology; Clubroot disease; Computational Biology; Disease Resistance - genetics; EDS1; Gene Expression Regulation, Plant; Genes, Plant; Plant Diseases - genetics; Plant Diseases - parasitology; Plant immunity; Plant Proteins - genetics; Plant Proteins - metabolism; Plants, Genetically Modified - genetics; Plasmodiophorida - physiology
• ISSN: 0168-9452; 1873-2259; 1873-2259
• DOI: 10.1016/j.plantsci.2024.112175

Enhanced Disease Susceptibility 1 (EDS1) is a key regulator of plant-pathogen-associated molecular pattern-triggered immunity (PTI) and effector-triggered immunity (ETI) responses. In the Brassica napus genome, we identified six novel EDS1 genes, among which four were responsive to clubroot infection, a major rapeseed disease resistant to chemical control. Developing resistant cultivars is a potent and economically viable strategy to control clubroot infection. Bioinformatics analysis revealed conserved domains and structural uniformity in Bna-EDS1 homologs. Bna-EDS1 promoters harbored elements associated with diverse phytohormones and stress responses, highlighting their crucial roles in plant defense. A functional analysis was performed with Bna-EDS1 overexpression and RNAi transgenic lines. Bna-EDS1 overexpression boosted resistance to clubroot and upregulated defense-associated genes (PR1, PR2, ICS1, and CBP60), while Bna-EDS1 RNAi increased plant susceptibility, indicating suppression of the defense signaling pathway downstream of NBS-LRRs. RNA-Seq analysis identified key transcripts associated with clubroot resistance, including phenylpropanoid biosynthesis. Activation of SA regulator NPR1, defense signaling markers PR1 and PR2, and upregulation of MYC-TFs suggested that EDS1-mediated clubroot resistance potentially involves the SA pathway. Our findings underscore the pivotal role of Bna-EDS1-dependent mechanisms in resistance of B. napus to clubroot disease, and provide valuable insights for fortifying resistance against Plasmodiophora brassicae infection in rapeseed. •Enhanced Disease Susceptibility EDS1 genes in Brassica napus boost early defense responses against Plasmodiophora brassica, providing robust clubroot disease resistance.•Overexpressing Bna-EDS1 induces defense marker genes, enhances resistance, whereas suppressing heightens susceptibility.•Clubroot inoculation enriches transcripts linked to clubroot resistance pathways.