Identification and characterization of Verticillium nonalfalfae-responsive microRNAs in the roots of resistant and susceptible hop cultivars

Kunej, Urban (author), Jakše, Jernej (author), Radišek, Sebastjan (author), Štajner, Nataša (author)

MicroRNAs are 21- to 24-nucleotide-long, non-coding RNA molecules that regulate gene expression at the post-transcriptional level. They can modulate various biological processes, including plant response and resistance to fungal pathogens. Hops are grown for use in the brewing industry and, recently, also for the pharmaceutical industry. Severe Verticillium wilt caused by the phytopathogenic fungus Verticillium nonalfalfae, is the main factor in yield loss in many crops, including hops (Humulus lupulus L.). In our study, we identified 56 known and 43 novel miRNAs and their expression patterns in the roots of susceptible and resistant hop cultivars after inoculation with V. nonalfalfae. In response to inoculation with V. nonalfalfae, we found five known and two novel miRNAs that are differentially expressed in the susceptible cultivar and six known miRNAs in the resistant cultivar. Differentially expressed miRNAs target 49 transcripts involved in protein localization and pigment synthesis in the susceptible cultivar, whereas they are involved in transcription factor regulation and hormone signalling in the resistant cultivar. The results of our study suggest that the susceptible and resistant hop cultivars respond differently to V. nonalfalfae inoculation at the miRNA level and that miRNAs may contribute to the successful defence of the resistant cultivar.

• Language: English
• Keywords: Humulus lupulus, Verticillium nonalfalfae, biotic stress, microRNA, high-throughput sequencing
• Work type: Article
• Typology: 1.01 - Original Scientific Article
• Organization: BF - Biotechnical Faculty
• Publication status: Published
• Publication version: Version of Record
• Year: 2021
• Number of pages: 18 str.
• Numbering: Vol. 10, iss. 9, art. 1883
• PID: 20.500.12556/RUL-136195
• UDC: 60
• ISSN on article: 2223-7747
• DOI: 10.3390/plants10091883
• COBISS.SI-ID: 77436931
• Publication date in RUL: 19.04.2022

Record is a part of a journal

• Title: Plants
• Shortened title: Plants
• Publisher: MDPI
• ISSN: 2223-7747
• COBISS.SI-ID: 523345433

Licences

• License: CC BY 4.0, Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International
• Link: http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/
• Description: This is the standard Creative Commons license that gives others maximum freedom to do what they want with the work as long as they credit the author.
• Licensing start date: 11.09.2021

Secondary language

• Language: Slovenian
• Keywords: Verticillium nonalfalfae, Humulus lupulus, biotični stres, mikro RNA, sekvenciranje

Projects

• Funder: ARRS - Slovenian Research Agency
• Project number: 34110

• Funder: ARRS - Slovenian Research Agency
• Project number: P4-0077
• Name: Kmetijske rastline - genetika in sodobne tehnologije