Simultaneous transcriptome analysis of oil palm clones and Phytophthora palmivora reveals oil palm defense strategies

Phytophthora palmivora is an oomycete that causes oil palm bud rot disease. To understand the molecular mechanisms of this disease, palm clones with contrasting responses (Ortet 34, resistant and Ortet 57, susceptible) were inoculated with P. palmivora, and RNAseq gene expression analysis was performed. The transcriptome was obtained by sequencing using Illumina HiSeq2500 technology during the asymptomatic phase (24, 72 and 120 hours postinfection, hpi). A simultaneous analysis of differentially expressed gene (DEG) profiles in palm and P. palmivora was carried out. Additionally, Gene Ontology (GO) and gene network analysis revealed differences in the transcriptional profile of the two ortets, where a high specificity of the pathogen to colonize the susceptible ortet was found. The transcriptional analysis provided an overview of the genes involved in the recognition and signaling of this pathosystem, where different transcription factors, phytohormones, proteins associated with cell wall hardening and nitrogen metabolism contribute to the resistance of oil palm to P. palmivora. This research provides a description of the molecular response of oil palm to P. palmivora, thus becoming an important source of molecular markers for the study of genotypes resistant to bud rot disease.