Transgenic Nicotiana benthamiana plants expressing a hairpin RNAi construct of a nematode Rs-cps gene exhibit enhanced resistance to Radopholus similis. Issue 1 (December 2017)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Li, Yu; Wang, Ke; Lu, Qisen; Du, Juan; Wang, Zhenyue; Wang, Desen; Sun, Bingjian; Li, Honglian
• Is Part Of: Scientific reports. Volume 7:Issue 1(2017)
• Page Start: 1
• Page End: 11
• Publication Date: 2017-12
• Subjects: Natural history -- Research -- Periodicals; Biology -- Research -- Periodicals; Physical sciences -- Research -- Periodicals; Earth sciences -- Research -- Periodicals; Environmental sciences -- Research -- Periodicals; 502.85
• DOI: 10.1038/s41598-017-13024-9
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 2045-2322

Abstract

Abstract Burrowing nematodes (Radopholus similis ) cause severe harm in many agronomic and horticultural crops and are very difficult to manage. Cathepsin S is one of the most important cysteine proteinases and plays key roles in nematodes and many other parasites. To evaluate the effect ofin planta RNAi on the control of this nematode, a specific fragment from the protease gene, cathepsin S (Rs -cps ), was cloned into the binary vector pFGC5941 in the forward and reverse orientations to construct recombinant plant RNAi vectors. TransgenicNicotiana benthamiana plants expressingRs -cps dsRNA were obtained and studied. The transcript abundance ofRs -cps dsRNA appeared to be diverse in the different transgenic lines. Moreover, the bioassay results revealed thatRs-cps transgenicN. benthamiana plants were resistant toR .similis and the transcription level ofRs-cps inR .similis was drastically decreased. In addition, the reproduction and hatching rate ofR .similis isolated from theRs-cps transgenic plants were also significantly reduced. Our results suggest thatRs-cps is essential for the reproduction and pathogenicity ofR .similis . This is the first study to employin planta RNAi approach to target theRs-cps gene for the control of plant parasitic nematodes.