Haploid-specific variations of kiwifruit WAKL genes modulate immune-related responses in Nicotiana benthamiana
Wall-Associated Kinase-like (WAKL) proteins play crucial roles in plant stress responses, but their evolutionary divergence and functions in kiwifruit remain unclear. In this study, we performed a genome-wide analysis of WAKL proteins in Actinidia chinensis and Actinidia eriantha. Our findings revea...
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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Elsevier
2025-06-01
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| Series: | Plant Stress |
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| Online Access: | http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2667064X25001149 |
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| author | Zupeng Wang Zhenting Sun Hui Pan Caihong Zhong Li Li |
| author_facet | Zupeng Wang Zhenting Sun Hui Pan Caihong Zhong Li Li |
| author_sort | Zupeng Wang |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Wall-Associated Kinase-like (WAKL) proteins play crucial roles in plant stress responses, but their evolutionary divergence and functions in kiwifruit remain unclear. In this study, we performed a genome-wide analysis of WAKL proteins in Actinidia chinensis and Actinidia eriantha. Our findings reveal haploid-specific variations that contribute to kiwifruit resistance against bacterial canker. Significant structural and numerical differences in WAKL genes between haploids were identified, driven by genomic rearrangements and duplication events. Phylogenetic and motif analyses revealed functional specialization and evolutionary divergence within the WAKL family in kiwifruit. Expression analysis showed that key WAKL genes respond differently in resistant and susceptible kiwifruit during Psa infection. We validated nine AcWAKL genes in Nicotiana benthamiana. Four induced reactive oxygen species (ROS) accumulation and cell death, and three of these genes are found only on one haploid. Further investigation showed that these four AcWAKL genes triggered ROS accumulation and cell death by upregulating NbRBOHB expression. Our findings highlight the importance of haploid-specific variations and PAVs in shaping WAKL gene function, providing new insights into how these genomic features modulate immune responses and offering potential implications for enhancing disease resistance in kiwifruit breeding. |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj-art-744ca425f17d48e7be44cb63d77131b3 |
| institution | OA Journals |
| issn | 2667-064X |
| language | English |
| publishDate | 2025-06-01 |
| publisher | Elsevier |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Plant Stress |
| spelling | doaj-art-744ca425f17d48e7be44cb63d77131b32025-08-20T02:26:40ZengElsevierPlant Stress2667-064X2025-06-011610084910.1016/j.stress.2025.100849Haploid-specific variations of kiwifruit WAKL genes modulate immune-related responses in Nicotiana benthamianaZupeng Wang0Zhenting Sun1Hui Pan2Caihong Zhong3Li Li4Key Laboratory of Plant Germplasm Enhancement and Specialty Agriculture, Wuhan Botanical Garden, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Wuhan 430074, China; Innovative Academy of Seed Design, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100101, China; Engineering Laboratory for Kiwifruit Industrial Technology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Wuhan 430074, ChinaKey Laboratory of Plant Germplasm Enhancement and Specialty Agriculture, Wuhan Botanical Garden, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Wuhan 430074, China; Innovative Academy of Seed Design, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100101, China; Engineering Laboratory for Kiwifruit Industrial Technology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Wuhan 430074, ChinaKey Laboratory of Plant Germplasm Enhancement and Specialty Agriculture, Wuhan Botanical Garden, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Wuhan 430074, China; Innovative Academy of Seed Design, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100101, China; Engineering Laboratory for Kiwifruit Industrial Technology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Wuhan 430074, ChinaKey Laboratory of Plant Germplasm Enhancement and Specialty Agriculture, Wuhan Botanical Garden, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Wuhan 430074, China; Innovative Academy of Seed Design, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100101, China; Engineering Laboratory for Kiwifruit Industrial Technology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Wuhan 430074, China; Corresponding authors.Key Laboratory of Plant Germplasm Enhancement and Specialty Agriculture, Wuhan Botanical Garden, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Wuhan 430074, China; Innovative Academy of Seed Design, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100101, China; Engineering Laboratory for Kiwifruit Industrial Technology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Wuhan 430074, China; Corresponding authors.Wall-Associated Kinase-like (WAKL) proteins play crucial roles in plant stress responses, but their evolutionary divergence and functions in kiwifruit remain unclear. In this study, we performed a genome-wide analysis of WAKL proteins in Actinidia chinensis and Actinidia eriantha. Our findings reveal haploid-specific variations that contribute to kiwifruit resistance against bacterial canker. Significant structural and numerical differences in WAKL genes between haploids were identified, driven by genomic rearrangements and duplication events. Phylogenetic and motif analyses revealed functional specialization and evolutionary divergence within the WAKL family in kiwifruit. Expression analysis showed that key WAKL genes respond differently in resistant and susceptible kiwifruit during Psa infection. We validated nine AcWAKL genes in Nicotiana benthamiana. Four induced reactive oxygen species (ROS) accumulation and cell death, and three of these genes are found only on one haploid. Further investigation showed that these four AcWAKL genes triggered ROS accumulation and cell death by upregulating NbRBOHB expression. Our findings highlight the importance of haploid-specific variations and PAVs in shaping WAKL gene function, providing new insights into how these genomic features modulate immune responses and offering potential implications for enhancing disease resistance in kiwifruit breeding.http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2667064X25001149KiwifruitWAKL genesBacterial cankerHaploid variationsGene duplicationROS accumulation |
| spellingShingle | Zupeng Wang Zhenting Sun Hui Pan Caihong Zhong Li Li Haploid-specific variations of kiwifruit WAKL genes modulate immune-related responses in Nicotiana benthamiana Plant Stress Kiwifruit WAKL genes Bacterial canker Haploid variations Gene duplication ROS accumulation |
| title | Haploid-specific variations of kiwifruit WAKL genes modulate immune-related responses in Nicotiana benthamiana |
| title_full | Haploid-specific variations of kiwifruit WAKL genes modulate immune-related responses in Nicotiana benthamiana |
| title_fullStr | Haploid-specific variations of kiwifruit WAKL genes modulate immune-related responses in Nicotiana benthamiana |
| title_full_unstemmed | Haploid-specific variations of kiwifruit WAKL genes modulate immune-related responses in Nicotiana benthamiana |
| title_short | Haploid-specific variations of kiwifruit WAKL genes modulate immune-related responses in Nicotiana benthamiana |
| title_sort | haploid specific variations of kiwifruit wakl genes modulate immune related responses in nicotiana benthamiana |
| topic | Kiwifruit WAKL genes Bacterial canker Haploid variations Gene duplication ROS accumulation |
| url | http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2667064X25001149 |
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