Transcriptome analysis of Cucumis sativus infected by Cucurbit chlorotic yellows virus.

BACKGROUND: Cucurbit chlorotic yellows virus (CCYV) is a recently reported bipartite crinivirus that causes chlorotic leaf spots and yellowing symptoms on the leaves of cucurbit plants. The virus-host interaction of CCYV remains to be elucidated, and the influence of criniviruses on the host gene transcriptome requires analysis.

METHODS: We used transcriptome sequencing to analyse the differentially expressed genes (DEGs) caused by CCYV infection.

RESULTS: CCYV infection resulted in 865 DEGs. The Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes (KEGG) pathway enrichment analysis identified 67 pathways, and the three major enrichment pathways (according to the P-values) were photosynthesis-antenna proteins (KO00196), phenylalanine metabolism (KO00360a), and phenylpropanoid biosynthesis (KO00940). Of the 13 DEGs identified in phenylalanine metabolism, 11 genes encode disease resistance-related phenylalanine ammonia-lyase (PAL) genes. Using quantitative real-time PCR, we validated the differential expression of 12 genes.

CONCLUSIONS: Our study based on the CCYV-cucumber interaction provides comprehensive transcriptomic information, and will improve our understanding of host-crinivirus interactions.