Transcriptomics of maize roots from genotypes with contrasting resistance to Fusarium verticillioides

Fusarium verticillioides (Sacc.) Nirenberg (Fv) causes agriculture economic losses, and it is harmful to animal and human health. Fv can infect maize through the entire agricultural cycle, and root infection drastically affects maize growth. This study compared two contrasting inbred lines (ILs) of maize (Zea mays L.) with resistant (RES) and susceptible (SUS) phenotype to Fv infection using transcriptomic analysis. Seeds were infected with a highly virulent local Fv isolate. Fv infected both RES and SUS ILs, but the infection was manifested three to four days faster and was more severe in the SUS IL. A comparative transcriptomic analysis (+Fv/control) was done seven days after inoculation (DAI), where 733 and 559 differentially expressed genes (DEGs) were identified in RES and SUS ILs, respectively. KEGG pathway enrichment analysis identified coumarin and furanocoumarin biosynthesis, phenylpropanoid biosynthesis, and plant-pathogen interaction pathways as highly enriched in RES IL with specific genes involved with cell wall modification, whereas SUS IL showed repression of plant-pathogen interaction pathway, and no cell wall-related pathway was shown. GO enrichment analysis identified proteins involved in response to abiotic and biotic stress, biosynthetic and catabolic processes, pectin biosynthesis, phenylpropanoid metabolism, and cell wall biosynthesis and organization.