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Temporally Regulated Plant-Nematode Gene Networks Implicate Metabolic Pathways.

Root-knot nematodes (RKN; Meloidogyne spp.) constantly communicate with their host to establish and maintain specialized feeding cells. They likely regulate this interaction by monitoring host biology. As plant host biology is influenced by light and gene expression varies correspondingly, RKN gene transcription and biology likely follow similar patterns. We profiled RKN transcripts over a period of 24 hours and identified approximately 1,000 differentially expressed genes (DEG) in nematode and model host Medicago truncatula, with the majority of DEG occurring at the middle of the dark period. Many of the plant DEG are involved in defense response pathways while the differentially expressed nematode genes are involved in establishing infection, suggesting a strong host-nematode interaction occurring during the dark. To identify interacting genes we developed a plant-nematode gene network based on DEG signals. The phenylpropanoid pathway was identified as a significant plant-nematode interacting pathway, representing 4 of 33 genes in the network. We further examined if this pathway interacts in similarly in another host, tomato, by quantifying phenolic and flavonoid compounds produced by this pathway. Phenolic compounds showed an significant increase in production during the day in uninoculated plants. During the dark period, there was an increase in flavonoid content in infected plants when compared to uninfected controls indicating potential host defense mechanisms active during the height of nematode activity at night. This study elucidated cross-species interacting pathways that could be targeted to develop novel management strategies to these important pests.