Comprehensive transcriptional and functional analyses of HbGASA genes reveal their roles in fungal pathogen resistance in Hevea brasiliensis

• DOI: 10.1007/s11295-018-1256-y
• Publication Date: 2018-05-26T02:05:06Z
• Authors: Bang An; Qiannan Wang; Xiaodong Zhang; Bei Zhang; Hongli Luo; Chaozu He
• Keywords: 0301 basic medicine; 03 medical and health sciences

The gibberellic acid-stimulated arabidopsis (GASA) peptide family widely existed in plant species and plays various functions in regulating biological processes. Based on the transcriptome and the genome of the rubber tree, 16 genes encoding the GASA proteins were identified in Hevea brasiliensis. The phylogenetic relationship of the 16 GASA proteins of H. brasiliensis was analyzed by comparing with that of Arabidopsis thaliana and Oryza sativa. Transcriptional assay showed that the GASA genes were regulated by the fungal pathogens Colletotrichum gloeosporioides. Transient expression in Nicotiana benthamiana revealed that the GASA genes were involved in generating reactive oxygen species, indicating their roles in plant innate immunity. In addition, the quantitative real-time PCR assays suggested that the GASA genes were regulated by plant hormone in complex ways. Taken together, the present study provides the comprehensive analysis and reveals putative roles of GASA genes in fungal pathogen resistance in H. brasiliensis.