TRANSCRIPT FACTORS INVOLVED IN THE SUNFLOWER RESPONSE TO THE BROOMPARE ACTION

Abstract

The present research is focused on bioinformatics and genes expression analysis aiming to elucidate new aspects of resistance mechanisms in the experimental model of the sunflower-broomrape interaction. The qPCR analysis of WHY1, TGA2 and TGA5 transcription factors revealed transient, oscillating changes in the accumulation of mRNA in plants cultivated in the absence and presence of pathogen in dynamics. The highest level of relative expression of WHY1 factor was attested in the roots of host plant during the stage of aerial shoots development (67 days), contrary to factors belonging to TGA family, which showed minimal values of the relative expression at the same stage of development. In the most of cases WHY1, TGA2 and TGA5 genes were found to be suppressed in the roots of sunflower-resistant genotypes under biotic stress. The higher number of gene interactions is due to co-expression in the case of WHY1 (93.68 %) and the presence of common protein domains in the case of TGA family factors (70 %). Associations between the NPR1 gene with TGA2 (46 connections) and TGA5 (33 interactions) have also been identified. The highest fluctuations in the level of relative expression of the NPR1 gene (key element in the manifestation of plant resistance) are found in the sensitive genotype Performer, in the case of noninfested plants and in resistant hybrid PR64LE20 under biotic stress.