RNA-seq based in vivo transcriptomes of pine trees inoculated with pinewood nematode under the enhanced resistance state

Bursaphelenchus xylophilus (pinewood nematode, PWN) is a causal agent of pine wilt disease and results in economic and environmental losses in pine forests. The establishment of systemic acquired resistance (SAR) provides positive capacities to control PWN. We selected two SAR elicitors, acibenzolar-S-methyl (ASM) and methyl salicylic acid (MeSA), which effectively inhibited disease symptoms on PWN-infected pine trees. To understand dynamic interactions between pine host and PWN under SAR state, we characterized in vivo transcriptomes of pine trees infected by B. xylophilus according to the ASM and MeSA treatment. After distilled water treatment, pine trees infected by B. xylophilus was used as a negative control. To induce systemic acquired resistance (SAR), pine seedlings were treated with the acibenzolar-S-methyl or methyl salicylic acid. As a negative control, pine seedlings were treated with distilled water containing 250 μg/ml Tween 20. One week after treatment, all pine seedlings were inoculated with Bursaphelenchus xylophilus. For each group, three replicates were used.