Identification of nitric oxide mediated defense signaling and its microRNA mediated regulation during Phytophthora capsici infection in black pepper

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Nitric oxide plays a significant role in the defense signaling during pathogen interaction in plants. Quick wilt disease is a devastating disease of black pepper, and leads to sudden mortality of pepper vines in plantations. In this study, the role of nitric oxide was studied during Phytophthora capsici infection in black pepper variety Panniyur-1. Nitric oxide was detected from the different histological sections of P. capsici infected leaves. Furthermore, the genome-wide transcriptome analysis characterized typical domain architect and structural features of nitrate reductase (NR) and nitric oxide associated 1 (NOA1) gene that are involved in nitric oxide biosynthesis in black pepper. Despite the upregulation of nitrate reductase (Pn1_NR), a reduced expression of Pn1_NOA1 was detected in the P. capsici infected black pepper leaf. Subsequent sRNAome-assisted in silico analysis revealed possible microRNA mediated regulation of Pn1_NOA mRNAs. Furthermore, sRNA/miRNA mediated cleavage on Pn1_NOA1 mRNA was validated through modified 5' RLM RACE experiments. Several hormone-responsive cis-regulatory elements involved in stress response was detected from the promoter regions of Pn_NOA1, Pn_NR1 and Pn_NR2 genes. Our results revealed the role of nitric oxide during stress response of P. capsici infection in black pepper, and key genes involved in nitric oxide biosynthesis and their post-transcriptional regulatory mechanisms.

Original languageEnglish
JournalPhysiology and Molecular Biology of Plants
Volume30
Pages (from-to)33-47
Number of pages15
ISSN0971-5894
DOIs
Publication statusPublished - 2024

Bibliographical note

Publisher Copyright:
© Prof. H.S. Srivastava Foundation for Science and Society 2024.

    Research areas

  • Black pepper, Nitrate reductase, Nitric oxide, NOA, Phytophthora capsici, Quick wilt, Transcriptome

ID: 383397096