BIOTIC STRESS CAUSED BY DROUGHT IN ILEX PARAGUARIENSIS: EVIDENCE FROM CELL SIGNALING

ACEVEDO R. M.; AVICO E.; RUIZ O.A.; SANSBERRO P.A.

MONTPELLIER

Congreso; Congress of the International Plant Molecular Biology (IPMB) 2018; 2018

IPMB

Ilex paraguariensis, commonly known as ?yerba mate?, is a subtropical tree species extensivelycultivated in South Brazil, NortheastArgentina, and Western Paraguay. The leaves and young shoots are industrializedto prepare a tea-like beverage, which has stimulating and pharmacologicalproperties. The occurrence of spring-summer drought episodes concurrently with hightemperatures and radiation can cause abiotic stresses constraining agronomicalyield. Besides under field conditions, I. paraguariensis like many perennialsspecies, is associated with endophytesmicroorganisms. Weexplore how gene expression varies under water scarcity respect to thenon-stressed conditions, and from differentially expressed transcripts (DETs) directlyinvolved in cell signaling, we investigate if drought stress perturbs theequilibrium between the endophytic community and the hosting plant causing asecondary strain. To address this issue, we obtained the transcriptome of controland stressed plants bymeans of RNA-seq.The transcripts were annotated and functionallyclassified, using public databases and bioinformatic methods. Approximately,400 DETs involved in signal perceptionand hormones biosynthesis were identified. Our results show that drought induces the expression of several transcriptsinvolved in the ABA-mediated responses to dehydration. But also plant defensegenes are overexpressed, suggesting the existence of an active mechanism of signaling to orchestrate a combined response.