Analysis of huanglongbing-associated RNA-seq data reveals disturbances in biological processes within Citrus spp. triggered by Candidatus Liberibacter asiaticus infection

Ruimin Li; Xinyou Wang; Yanan Hu; Guiyan Huang

doi:10.3389/fpls.2024.1388163

Analysis of huanglongbing-associated RNA-seq data reveals disturbances in biological processes within Citrus spp. triggered by Candidatus Liberibacter asiaticus infection

Front Plant Sci. 2024 Apr 10:15:1388163. doi: 10.3389/fpls.2024.1388163. eCollection 2024.

Authors

Ruimin Li^{1

2}, Xinyou Wang¹, Yanan Hu¹, Guiyan Huang^{1

2}

Affiliations

¹ College of Life Sciences, Gannan Normal University, Ganzhou, China.
² China-USA Citrus Huanglongbing Joint Laboratory, National Navel Orange Engineering Research Center, Gannan Normal University, Ganzhou, China.

Abstract

Introduction: Huanglongbing (HLB), a disease that's ubiquitous worldwide, wreaks havoc on the citrus industry. The primary culprit of HLB is the gram-negative bacterium Candidatus Liberibacter asiaticus (CLas) that infects the phloem, but its damaging mechanism is yet to be fully understood.

Methods and results: In this study, a multitude of tools including weighted correlation network analysis (WGCNA), protein-protein interaction (PPI) network analysis and gene expression profiling are employed to unravel the intricacies of its pathogenesis. The investigation pinpoints various central genes, such as the ethylene-responsive transcription factor 9 (ERF9) and thioredoxin reductase 1 (TrxR1), that are associated with CLas invasion and resultant disturbances in numerous biological operations. Additionally, the study uncovers a range of responses through the detection of differential expressed genes (DEGs) across different experiments. The discovery of core DEGs leads to the identification of pivotal genes such as the sieve element occlusion (SEO) and the wall-associated receptor kinase-like 15 (WAKL15). PPI network analysis highlights potential vital proteins, while GO and KEGG pathway enrichment analysis illustrate a significant impact on multiple defensive and metabolic pathways. Gene set enrichment analysis (GSEA) indicates significant alterations in biological processes such as leaf senescence and response to biotic stimuli.

Discussion: This all-encompassing approach extends valuable understanding into the pathogenesis of CLas, potentially aiding future research and therapeutic strategies for HLB.

Keywords: Candidatus Liberibacter asiaticus; Citrus sinensis; RNA-Seq; WGCNA; biological processes.

Grants and funding

The author(s) declare that financial support was received for the research, authorship, and/or publication of this article. This work was supported by the National Natural Science Foundation of China [grant numbers 32160621, 32260659] and the Innovation Program of short-term Leader of Jiangxi Province [grant number jxsq2020102129].