Gene expression responses of tomato inoculated with Pectobacterium carotovorum subsp. carotovorum.

Defense responses of tomato (Solanum lycopersicum L.) against attack by Pectobacterium carotovorum subsp. carotovorum (Pcc), the causal agent of soft rot diseases, were studied. The expression of some tomato defense genes were evaluated by real-time PCR quantification analysis, 24 and 72 hr after actively growing tomato plants were inoculated with Pcc. These included: MYB transcriptor factor, ethylene response element-binding protein, suppressor of the G2 allele of Skp1, cytochrome P450, small Sar1 GTPase, hydroxycinnamoyl-CoA:quinate hydroxycinnamoyl transferase, pathogenesis-related protein 1a, endo-1,3-beta-glucanase, chitinase, proteinase inhibitor, defensin, CC-NBS-LRR resistance protein, and phenylalanine ammonia lyase. The results showed dynamic transcriptomic changes, with transcripts exhibiting different expression kinetics at 24 and 72 hr to confer resistance to tomato against Pcc infection.