Systemic suppression of the rice shoot metabolism upon root rot nematode infection

Rice (Oryza sativa L.) is one of the most important staple foods in the world, feeding more than 50% of the human population. One of its most damaging pathogens, with major impact on rice yield, is the migratory root rot nematode Hirschmanniella oryzae. In comparison with the existing knowledge on the infection process of dicots by sedentary nematodes, far less is known about the interaction between monocot plants and nematodes or plant interactions with migratory nematode species. Therefore, to gain deeper insight into the systemic transcriptional changes in rice after migratory root rot nematode infection we have performed mRNA-Seq on the shoots of root rot nematode infected rice plants. The observations were independently validated using qRT-PCR and biochemical analyses. This research reveals significant modifications in the metabolism of the plant, with a general suppression of chlorophyll biosynthesis, and primary metabolic processes involved in plant growth . Overall design: Differential expression analysis between controls rice shoots and shoots from root rot nematode (H. oryzae) infected rice at two time points.