Abstract Foxtail millet smut disease, which is caused by the basidiomycetous fungus Ustilago crameri, has become a severe detriment to millet production. However, little is known about the molecular responses of foxtail millet to infection with U. crameri. In this article, we performed RNA-Seq to investigate transcriptional modulation in the resistant cultivar Jigu20 and the susceptible cultivar Changnong35. In total, 1712 and 1166 differentially expressed genes (DEGs) were identified in Jigu20 and Changnong35, respectively. Our results showed that the pathogenesis-related (PR) genes SiBGL and SiCHI responded positively to inoculation with U. crameri in both Jigu20 and Changnong35. The resistance (R) gene SiRPM1 and its downstream signaling molecules SiSGT1 and SiHSP were also dramatically upregulated upon smut infection in Jigu20. Moreover, we revealed that SiCDPK-SiRbohF-mediated reactive oxygen species (ROS) production might positively contribute to foxtail millet defense against U. crameri. Furthermore, we found that the phenylpropanoid pathway was activated upon smut infection. Taken together, our results suggested that SiBGL, SiCHI, SiRPM1, SiSGT1, SiHSP, SiCDPK, SiRbohF and SiPAL could act as potential candidates in foxtail millet to achieve resistance against smut.

中文翻译：

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谷子与黑穗病菌 Ustilago crameri 相互作用过程中的差异基因表达

摘要 谷子黑穗病是由担子菌Ustilago crameri 引起的黑穗病，已成为小米生产的严重危害。然而，关于小米对感染 U. crameri 的分子反应知之甚少。在本文中，我们进行了 RNA-Seq 以研究抗性品种极谷 20 和易感品种长农 35 的转录调控。在机谷20和昌农35中总共鉴定出1712和1166个差异表达基因（DEGs）。我们的结果表明，发病相关 (PR) 基因 SiBGL 和 SiCHI 在极谷 20 和昌农 35 中对接种 U. crameri 产生积极响应。在 Jigu20 中，抗性 (R) 基因 SiRPM1 及其下游信号分子 SiSGT1 和 SiHSP 在黑穗病感染后也显着上调。而且，我们发现 SiCDPK-SiRbohF 介导的活性氧 (ROS) 产生可能对小米对 U. crameri 的防御有积极贡献。此外，我们发现苯丙烷途径在黑穗病感染后被激活。总之，我们的结果表明 SiBGL、SiCHI、SiRPM1、SiSGT1、SiHSP、SiCDPK、SiRbohF 和 SiPAL 可以作为谷子的潜在候选物来实现对黑穗病的抗性。