Insights on gene expression response of a characterized resistant genotype of Solanum commersonii Dun. against Ralstonia solanacearum

Solanum commersonii is a wild species related to the cultivated potato. Some S. commersonii genotypes have been proven to be resistant to the pathogenic bacteria Ralstonia solanacearum, which causes damage in potato and other economically important crops. Here an expression analysis of the response of a resistant S. commersonii genotype against R. solanacearum was performed using microarrays. The aims of this work were to elucidate the molecular processes involved in the interaction, establish the timing of the response, and contribute to identify genes related to the resistance. The response to the treatment was already initiated at 6 h post-inoculation (hpi) and was established at 24 hpi; during this period, a high number of genes was differentially expressed and several candidate genes for the resistance of S. commersonii to R. solanacearum were identified. At an early stage, the photosynthetic process was highly repressed and several genes encoding proteins related to reactive oxygen species (ROS) production were differentially expressed. The induction of ERF and ACC-oxidase genes related to the ethylene pathway and PR1 related to the salicylic acid pathway suggested the induction of both pathways, and back up the previously reported hemibiotrophic nature of the pathogen. Five genes related to plant defence and observed to be differentially expressed at the first two time points were validated by real time PCR. This work gives a glimpse to the molecular processes involved in S. commersonii resistance and identifies the species as a valuable genetic source for potato breeding against bacterial wilt.