Transcriptional profiling of common bean contrasting genotypes in response to Meloidogyne incognita infection

The common bean (Phaseolus vulgaris L., Fabaceae) is an annual herbaceous crop of economic and social importance whose grains provide one of the main sources of plant proteins. Phytosanitary problems may cause severe impacts on common bean cultivation. Of the most common and harmful pathogens to the common bean crop are those of Meloidogyne genus, known as 'root-knot nematodes' (RKN), predominantly M. incognita, which is widespread in Brazilian agricultural areas. It is a consensus that the genetic and molecular basis of plant resistance/susceptibility to RKNs is complex and its understanding requires the use of diverse approaches. For istance, the transcriptome analysis may be an excellent strategy for the identification of genes involved in the common bean response to this pathogen. The objective of the present study was to evaluate the transcriptional profile of commom bean genotypes with contrasting responses against M. incognita (IAC-Tybata, resistant vs. Branquinho, susceptible) in order to identify differentially expressed genes at two different time points during this interaction (4 and 10 days after the inoculation, DAI).