Overexpression of <i>DUF538</i> from Wild <i>Arachis</i> Enhances Plant Resistance to <i>Meloidogyne</i> spp.

• Main Authors: Ana Claudia Guerra Araujo, Patricia Messenberg Guimaraes, Ana Paula Zotta Mota, Larissa Arrais Guimaraes, Bruna Medeiros Pereira, Christina Cleo Vinson, Ana Luíza Lacerda, Andressa Cunha Quintana Martins, Ana Cristina Miranda Brasileiro
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Published: MDPI AG 2021-03-01
• Series: Agronomy
• Subjects: <i>Meloidogyne</i> spp.; RKN resistance; hairy roots; peanut; soybean; <i>Arabidopsis</i>
• Online Access: https://www.mdpi.com/2073-4395/11/3/559

DUF538 proteins belong to a large group of uncharacterized protein families sharing the highly conserved Domain of Unknown Function (DUF). Attention has been given to DUF538 domain-containing proteins due to changes in their gene expression behavior and protein abundance during plant development and responses to stress. Putative roles attributed to DUF538 in plants under abiotic and biotic constraints include involvement in cell redox balance, chlorophyll breakdown and pectin degradation. Our previous transcriptome studies suggested that DUF538 is also involved in the resistance responses of wild <i>Arachis</i> species against the highly hazardous root-knot nematodes (RKNs). To clarify the role of the <i>AsDUF538</i> gene from the wild peanut relative <i>Arachis stenosperma</i> in this interaction, we analyzed the effect of its overexpression on RKN infection in peanut and soybean hairy roots and <i>Arabidopsis</i> transgenic plants. <i>AsDUF538</i> overexpression significantly reduced the infection in all three heterologous plant systems against their respective RKN counterparts. The distribution of <i>AsDUF538</i> transcripts in RKN-infected <i>Arachis</i> roots and the effects of <i>AsDUF538</i> overexpression on hormonal pathways and redox system in transgenic <i>Arabidopsis</i> were also evaluated. This is the first time that a <i>DUF538</i> gene is functionally validated in transgenic plants and the earliest report on its role in plant defense against RKNs.