Unraveling the changes in important molecular mechanisms of Arabidopsis thaliana infected by Botrytis cinerea: insights from in silico analysis

Botrytis cinerea is one of the most important harmful fungi affecting agricultural products. This study focused on the expression changes of Arabidopsis thaliana infected with this fungus. The expression dataset of a microarray and two RNA-sequencing were integrated using the respective software. The list of differentially expressed genes was extracted, and the key genes with altered expression were identified through Cytoscape software. These key genes co-expression patterns and functional enrichment were analyzed. Subsequently, microRNAs and transcription factors associated with these genes were predicted. Ten genes, including GAPA-2, SBPASE, CRB, HCEF1, CaS, ATPD, LIL3:1, PSAH2, PRK, and PMDH2, were identified as crucial down-regulated genes. Additionally, ten genes, namely WRKY33, CZF1, SZF1, STZ, ERF11, RHL41, BAP1, AT1G07135, CMPG2, and TET8, were highlighted as key up-regulated genes. The key roles of the hub genes with a decreased expression included processes and pathways associated with the reductive pentose phosphate cycle, photosynthesis, cold response, fructose and sucrose metabolism, defense response against bacteria, and gluconeogenesis. The key over-expressed genes played important roles in responding to chitin, oxygen deprivation, temperature fluctuations, injuries, fungal attacks, and gene transcription functions. Key genes were associated with ath-miR850, ath-miR393a-5p, and ath-miR393b-5p. Transcription factor SPL7 was linked to the transcription of down-regulated key genes, while transcription factors SARD1, PIF5, CAMTA1, HY5, WRKY33, TOC1, CAMTA3, CAMTA2, BZR1, FAR1, and CAMTA5 were also predicted to be associated with up-regulated genes. Some of these results have not previously been reported. Therefore, they could be used to design practical experiments exploring the interaction between plants and pathogenic fungi.

Unraveling the changes in important molecular mechanisms of Arabidopsis thaliana infected by Botrytis cinerea: insights from in silico analysis Keywords:

Microarray , RNA-sequencing , Botrytis cinerea , Arabidopsis thaliana