Host susceptibility factors render ripe tomato fruit vulnerable to fungal disease despite active immune responses.

ABSTRACT: The increased susceptibility of ripe fruit to fungal pathogens poses a substantial threat to crop production and marketability. Here, we coupled transcriptomic analyses with mutant studies to uncover critical processes associated with defense and susceptibility in tomato (Solanum lycopersicum) fruit. Using unripe and ripe fruit inoculated with three fungal pathogens, we identified common pathogen responses reliant on chitinases, WRKY transcription factors, and reactive oxygen species detoxification. We established that the magnitude and diversity of defense responses do not significantly impact the interaction outcome, as susceptible ripe fruit mounted a strong immune response to pathogen infection. Then, to distinguish features of ripening that may be responsible for susceptibility, we ut

SUBMITTER: Silva CJ 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC8006553 | biostudies-literature | 2021 Mar

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature