UGT440A1 Is Associated With Motility, Reproduction, and Pathogenicity of the Plant-Parasitic Nematode Bursaphelenchus xylophilus

• DOI: 10.3389/fpls.2022.862594
• Publication Date: 2022-05-31T07:48:18Z
• Authors: Min Wang; Guicai Du; Junna Fang; Linsong Wang; Qunqun Guo; Tingting Zhang; Ronggui Li
• Keywords: Xylophilus; Wilt disease

Pine wilt disease (PWD) caused by Bursaphelenchus xylophilus is considered a major threat to pine forests worldwide. Uridine diphosphate (UDP)-glycosyltransferases (UGTs) catalyze the conjugation of small lipophilic compounds with sugars and play crucial roles in detoxification homeostatic processes all living organisms. We investigated molecular characteristics biological functions gene UGT440A1 that encodes UGTs B. xylophilus. The situ hybridization results indicated expressed developmental stages xylophilus, particularly head, intestine, hypodermis second-stage juveniles (J2), third-stage (J3) fourth-stage (J4) females almost whole body J4 males adults. Recombinant was observed mainly inclusion bodies, enzyme activity assay revealed could glycosylation reaction two types flavonols (kaempferol quercetin). RNA interference (RNAi) suppressed motility, feeding, reproduction Furthermore, knockdown delay development PWD symptoms seedlings inoculated nematodes. These suggest involved pathogenic process information may facilitate better understanding mechanism PWD.