Comparative transcriptome analysis of tobacco plants reveals differences in reactive oxygen species activated defenses following the infestations of non-viruliferous and TYLCCNV-viruliferous whitefly Mediterranean

Tomato yellow leaf curl China virus (TYLCCNV) viruliferous Mediterranean (MED) whitefly infestation in tobacco plants elevated hydrogen peroxide (H₂O₂) levels more than non-viruliferous ones. To unravel the underlying mechanisms behind the phenomenon, comparative analyses of plant transcriptome and enzyme activities of reactive oxygen species (ROS) scavengers were conducted in this study. Compared to the control, a total of 4032 and 6853 differentially expressed genes (DEGs) were identified in the plants following the infestations of non-viruliferous and TYLCCNV-viruliferous MED, respectively. Gene ontology analysis of DEGs suggested substantial transcriptional reprogramming of diverse cellular processes, particularly in the biotic stress response pathways of tobacco plants. Respiratory burst oxidase homologs related genes and important kinases putatively involved in plant defense were differentially modulated in tobacco plants in response to the non-viruliferous and TYLCCNV-viruliferous whitefly MED infestation. The analysis reported here lays out a strong foundation for future investigations into the mechanisms of ROS-associated plant defense mediating the interactions between <i>B. tabaci</i> and begomoviruses.