AUTHOR=Yuan Yuxiang , Qin Liuyue , Su Henan , Yang Shuangjuan , Wei Xiaochun , Wang Zhiyong , Zhao Yanyan , Li Lin , Liu Honglei , Tian Baoming , Zhang Xiaowei 

TITLE=Transcriptome and Coexpression Network Analyses Reveal Hub Genes in Chinese Cabbage (Brassica rapa L. ssp. pekinensis) During Different Stages of Plasmodiophora brassicae Infection

JOURNAL=Frontiers in Plant Science

VOLUME=Volume 12 - 2021

YEAR=2021

URL=https://www.frontiersin.org/journals/plant-science/articles/10.3389/fpls.2021.650252

DOI=10.3389/fpls.2021.650252

ISSN=1664-462X

ABSTRACT=<p>Clubroot, caused by the soil-borne protist <italic>Plasmodiophora brassicae</italic>, is one of the most destructive diseases of Chinese cabbage worldwide. However, the clubroot resistance mechanisms remain unclear. In this study, in both clubroot-resistant (DH40R) and clubroot-susceptible (DH199S) Chinese cabbage lines, the primary (root hair infection) and secondary (cortical infection) infection stages started 2 and 5 days after inoculation (dai), respectively. With the extension of the infection time, cortical infection was blocked and complete <italic>P. brassica</italic> resistance was observed in DH40R, while disease scales of 1, 2, and 3 were observed at 8, 13, and 22 dai in DH199S. Transcriptome analysis at 0, 2, 5, 8, 13, and 22 dai identified 5,750 relative DEGs (rDEGs) between DH40R and DH199S. The results indicated that genes associated with auxin, PR, disease resistance proteins, oxidative stress, and <italic>WRKY</italic> and <italic>MYB</italic> transcription factors were involved in clubroot resistance regulation. In addition, weighted gene coexpression network analysis (WGCNA) identified three of the modules whose functions were highly associated with clubroot-resistant, including ten hub genes related to clubroot resistance (<italic>ARF2</italic>, <italic>EDR1</italic>, <italic>LOX4</italic>, <italic>NHL3</italic>, <italic>NHL13</italic>, <italic>NAC29</italic>, two <italic>AOP1</italic>, <italic>EARLI 1</italic>, and <italic>POD56</italic>). These results provide valuable information for better understanding the molecular regulatory mechanism of Chinese cabbage clubroot resistance.</p>