Glycine max Genome sequencing and assembly

Breeding for pathogen resistance is an important objective to improve and protect soybean yields. Brown stem rot (BSR), caused by the fungus Phialophora gregata, reduces yield by as much as 38%. To date, three dominant BSR resistance genes have been identified: Rbs1, Rbs2, and Rbs3, however the gene networks regulating defense responses to BSR remain unknown. Further, identifying resistant germplasm by genotyping or phenotyping remains difficult due to complexities of soybean/P. gregata interactions. To better understand resistance mechanisms, we conducted RNA-Seq of P. gregata infected and mock infected leaf, stem, and root tissues of both a resistant (PI 437970, Rbs3) and a susceptible (Corsoy 79) soybean genotype. Samples were collected one-week post infection. Our bioinformatic analyses focused on treatment, genotype, and treatment by genotype effects on gene expression