Weighted Gene Co-Expression Analysis Network-Based Analysis on the Candidate Pathways and Hub Genes in Eggplant Bacterial Wilt-Resistance: A Plant Research Study

oleh: Jiechun Peng, Peng Wang, Huarong Fang, Jieming Zheng, Chuan Zhong, Yanjuan Yang, Wenjin Yu

Format: Article
Diterbitkan: MDPI AG 2021-12-01

Deskripsi

<i>Solanum melongena</i> L. (eggplant) bacterial wilt is a severe soil borne disease. Here, this study aimed to explore the regulation mechanism of eggplant bacterial wilt-resistance by transcriptomics with weighted gene co-expression analysis network (WGCNA). The different expression genes (DEGs) of roots and stems were divided into 21 modules. The module of interest (root: indianred4, stem: coral3) with the highest correlation with the target traits was selected to elucidate resistance genes and pathways. The selected module of roots and stems co-enriched the pathways of MAPK signalling pathway, plant pathogen interaction, and glutathione metabolism. Each top 30 hub genes of the roots and stems co-enriched a large number of receptor kinase genes. A total of 14 interesting resistance-related genes were selected and verified with quantitative polymerase chain reaction (qPCR). The qPCR results were consistent with those of WGCNA. The hub gene of <i>EGP00814</i> (namely <i>SmRPP13L4</i>) was further functionally verified; <i>SmRPP13L4</i> positively regulated the resistance of eggplant to bacterial wilt by qPCR and virus-induced gene silencing (VIGS). Our study provides a reference for the interaction between eggplants and bacterial wilt and the breeding of broad-spectrum and specific eggplant varieties that are bacterial wilt-resistant.