Stepping down the evolutionary stairway of feeding cell induction by plant parasitic nematodes with spatial transcriptomics at near-cellular level to design resistant crops

Background

We recently applied a spatial transcriptomics technology (RNA tomography) to study the feeding cells induced by sedentary plant-parasitic nematodes in Arabidopsis roots. This gave us, for the first time, unique clues of the first transcriptional events required for the initiation of these feeding structures.

Description

Plant-parasitic nematodes are considered the most rapidly spreading plant pathogens in agriculture and pose an increasing threat to global food security. In this project, we combine cryo-sectioning with next-generation mRNA sequencing (RNA tomography) to identify key evolutionary transitions that have led to the development of the extravagant and complex feeding cells induced by root-knot and cyst nematodes. A comparative analysis of basal and sister lineages within different clades of the phylum Nematoda will identify key evolutionary transitions. Blocking these key transitions by targeted mutagenesis in tomato will open new avenues to design cultivars with novel resistances.