RNA-seq based in vivo transcriptomes of pine trees inoculated with pinewood nematode under Bacillus subtilis JCK-1398 treatment

Bursaphelenchus xylophilus (pinewood nematode, PWN) is the causal agent of pine wilt disease, causing economic and environmental losses in pine forests. The establishment of systemic acquired resistance (SAR) offers positive prospects for PWN control. We chose Bacillus subtilis JCK-1398, which effectively mitigated disease symptoms in PWN-infected pine trees. To elucidate the molecular responses involved in increased SAR according to B. subtilis JCK-1398 treatment, we characterized the in vivo transcriptomes of pine trees infected by PWN with B. subtilis JCK-1398 treatment. Additionally, pine trees infected by PWN after Tween20 treatment were used as a negative control. To induce systemic acquired resistance (SAR), pine seedlings were treated with Bacillus subtilis JCK-1398. 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. Each sample consisted of three replicates.