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Downy mildew, caused by Plasmopara viticola, is one of the most severe diseases of grapevine (Vitis vinifera L.). Genetic resistance is an effective and sustainable control strategy, but major resistance genes (encoding receptors for specific pathogen effectors) introgressed from wild Vitis species, although effective, may be non-durable because the pathogen can evolve to avoid specific recognition. Previous transcriptomic studies in the resistant species Vitis riparia highlighted the activation of signal transduction components during infection. The transfer of such components to V. vinifera might confer less specific and therefore more durable resistance. Here, we describe the generation of transgenic V. vinifera lines constitutively expressing the V. riparia E3 ubiquitin ligase gene VriATL156. Phenotypic and molecular analysis revealed that the transgenic plants were less susceptible to P. viticola than vector-only controls, confirming the role of this E3 ubiquitin ligase in the innate immune response. Two independent transgenic lines were selected for detailed analysis of the resistance phenotype by RNA-Seq and microscopy, revealing the profound reprogramming of transcription to achieve resistance that operates from the earliest stages of pathogen infection. The introduction of VriATL156 into elite grapevine cultivars could therefore provide an effective and sustainable control measure against downy mildew.

Downy mildew, caused by Plasmopara viticola, is one of the most severe diseases of grapevine (Vitis vinifera L.). Genetic resistance is an effective and sustainable control strategy, but major resistance genes (encoding receptors for specific pathogen effectors) introgressed from wild Vitis species, although effective, may be non-durable because the pathogen can evolve to avoid specific recognition. Previous transcriptomic studies in the resistant species Vitis riparia highlighted the activation of signal transduction components during infection. The transfer of such components to V. vinifera might confer less specific and therefore more durable resistance. Here, we describe the generation of transgenic V. vinifera lines constitutively expressing the V. riparia E3 ubiquitin ligase gene VriATL156. Phenotypic and molecular analysis revealed that the transgenic plants were less susceptible to P. viticola than vector-only controls, confirming the role of this E3 ubiquitin ligase in the innate immune response. Two independent transgenic lines were selected for detailed analysis of the resistance phenotype by RNA-Seq and microscopy, revealing the profound reprogramming of transcription to achieve resistance that operates from the earliest stages of pathogen infection. The introduction of VriATL156 into elite grapevine cultivars could therefore provide an effective and sustainable control measure against downy mildew.

The number of sustainable agriculture techniques to improve pest management and environmental safety is rising, as biological control agents are used to enhance disease resistance and abiotic stress tolerance in crops. Here, we investigated the capacity of the Photorhabdus luminescens secondary variant to react to plant root exudates and their behavior toward microorganisms in the rhizosphere. P. luminescens is known to live in symbiosis with entomopathogenic nematodes (EPNs) and to be highly pathogenic toward insects. The P. luminescens-EPN relationship has been widely studied, and this combination has been used as a biological control agent; however, not much attention has been paid to the putative lifestyle of P. luminescens in the rhizosphere. We performed transcriptome analysis to show how P. luminescens responds to plant root exudates. The analysis highlighted genes involved in chitin degradation, biofilm regulation, formation of flagella, and type VI secretion system. Furthermore, we provide evidence that P. luminescens can inhibit growth of phytopathogenic fungi. Finally, we demonstrated a specific interaction of P. luminescens with plant roots. Understanding the role and the function of this bacterium in the rhizosphere might accelerate the progress in biocontrol manipulation and elucidate the peculiar mechanisms adopted by plant growth-promoting rhizobacteria in plant root interactions. IMPORTANCE Insect-pathogenic Photorhabdus luminescens bacteria are widely used in biocontrol strategies against pests. Very little is known about the life of these bacteria in the rhizosphere. Here, we show that P. luminescens can specifically react to and interact with plant roots. Understanding the adaptation of P. luminescens in the rhizosphere is highly important for the biotechnological application of entomopathogenic bacteria and could improve future sustainable pest management in agriculture.

Pseudomonas syringaepv.actinidiae(Psa) is a phytopathogen that causes devastating bacterial canker in kiwifruit. Among five biovars defined by genetic, biochemical and virulence traits, Psa3 is the most aggressive and is responsible for the most recent reported outbreaks, but the molecular basis of its heightened virulence is unclear. We therefore designed the firstP. syringaemulti-strain whole-genome microarray, encompassing biovars Psa1, Psa2 and Psa3 and the well-established modelP. syringaepv.tomato, and analyzed early bacterial responses to an apoplast-like minimal medium. Transcriptomic profiling revealed (i) the strong activation in Psa3 of allhrp/hrccluster genes, encoding components of the type III secretion system required for bacterial pathogenicity and involved in responses to environmental signals; (ii) potential repression of thehrp/hrccluster in Psa2; and (iii) activation of flagellum-dependent cell motility and chemotaxis genes in Psa1. The detailed investigation of three gene families encoding upstream regulatory proteins (histidine kinases, their cognate response regulators, and proteins with diguanylate cyclase and/or phosphodiesterase domains) indicated that c-di-GMP may be a key regulator of virulence in Psa biovars. The gene expression data were supported by the quantification of biofilm formation. Our findings suggest that diverse early responses to the host apoplast, even among bacteria belonging to the same pathovar, can lead to different virulence strategies and may explain the differing outcomes of infections. Based on our detailed structural analysis ofhrpoperons, we also propose a revision ofhrpcluster organization and operon regulation inP. syringae.Author summaryPseudomonas syringaepv.actinidiae(Psa) is a bacterial pathogen that infects kiwifruit crops. Recent outbreaks have been particularly devastating due to the emergence of a new biovar (Psa3), but the molecular basis of its virulence is unknown so it is difficult to develop mitigation strategies. In this study, we compared the gene expression profiles of Psa3 and various less-virulent biovars in an environment that mimics early infection, to determine the basis of pathogenicity. Genes involved in the assembly and activity of the type III secretion system, which is crucial for the secretion of virulence effectors, were strongly upregulated in Psa3 while lower or not expressed in the other biovars. We also observed the Psa3-specific expression of genes encoding upstream signaling components, confirming that strains of the same bacterial pathovar can respond differently to early contact with their host. Finally, our data suggested a key role in Psa virulence switch ability for the small chemical signaling molecule c-di-GMP, which suppresses the expression of virulence genes. This effect of c-di-GMP levels on Psa3 virulence should be further investigated and confirmed to develop new mitigation methods to target this pathway.