Comparative transcriptome analysis of tobacco plants reveals differences in reactive oxygen species activated defenses following the infestations of non-viruliferous and TYLCCNV-viruliferous whitefly Mediterranean

Tomato yellow leaf curl China virus (TYLCCNV) viruliferous Mediterranean (MED) whitefly infestation in tobacco plants elevated hydrogen peroxide (H₂O₂) levels more than non-viruliferous ones. To unravel the underlying mechanisms behind the phenomenon, comparative analyses of plant transcriptome and enzyme activities of reactive oxygen species (ROS) scavengers were conducted in this study. Compared to the control, a total of 4032 and 6853 differentially expressed genes (DEGs) were identified in the plants following the infestations of non-viruliferous and TYLCCNV-viruliferous MED, respectively. Gene ontology analysis of DEGs suggested substantial transcriptional reprogramming of diverse cellular processes, particularly in the biotic stress response pathways of tobacco plants. Respiratory burst oxidase homologs related genes and important kinases putatively involved in plant defense were differentially modulated in tobacco plants in response to the non-viruliferous and TYLCCNV-viruliferous whitefly MED infestation. The analysis reported here lays out a strong foundation for future investigations into the mechanisms of ROS-associated plant defense mediating the interactions between <i>B. tabaci</i> and begomoviruses.

中国番茄黄化曲叶病毒（Tomato yellow leaf curl China virus, TYLCCNV）带毒地中海（MED）烟粉虱侵染烟草植株后，其体内过氧化氢（H₂O₂）水平的升高幅度显著高于不带毒MED烟粉虱侵染的植株。为阐明该现象背后的潜在分子机制，本研究对植物转录组及活性氧（reactive oxygen species, ROS）清除酶活性开展了比较分析。与对照组相比，经不带毒MED烟粉虱、带毒TYLCCNV的MED烟粉虱侵染的烟草植株中，分别鉴定出4032个和6853个差异表达基因（differentially expressed genes, DEGs）。对上述DEGs的基因本体（Gene Ontology, GO）分析显示，烟草植株的多种细胞过程发生了显著的转录重编程，尤其在生物胁迫响应通路中变化最为显著。在响应不带毒及带毒TYLCCNV的MED烟粉虱侵染的烟草植株内，呼吸爆发氧化酶同源（respiratory burst oxidase homolog, RBOH）相关基因以及推测参与植物防御的重要激酶均呈现差异调控模式。本研究的分析结果为后续探究介导烟粉虱（Bemisia tabaci, B. tabaci）与双生病毒互作的ROS相关植物防御机制奠定了坚实基础。