Enhancement of Selected Pathogenesis Related Genes Function in Papaya upon Application of Nanoencapsulated Recombinant Type III Secretion Protein
Norliza Abu Bakar
*
Agri-Omic and Bioinformatics Programme, Biotechnology and Nanotechnology Research Centre, MARDI Headquarters, GPO Box 12301, 50774 Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia.
Nur Sabrina Wahid
Agri-Omic and Bioinformatics Programme, Biotechnology and Nanotechnology Research Centre, MARDI Headquarters, GPO Box 12301, 50774 Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia.
Vinishaa Nair A/P Jeyagobi
Department of Biochemistry, Biotechnology and Biomolecular Science Faculty, Universiti Putra Malaysia, Malaysia.
Mohd Zulfadli Sohaime
Agri-Omic and Bioinformatics Programme, Biotechnology and Nanotechnology Research Centre, MARDI Headquarters, GPO Box 12301, 50774 Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia.
Noor Azmi Shaharuddin
Department of Biochemistry, Biotechnology and Biomolecular Science Faculty, Universiti Putra Malaysia, Malaysia.
*Author to whom correspondence should be addressed.
Abstract
Erwinia mallotivora has been identified as the causal pathogen of papaya dieback disease in Malaysia. In response, papaya plants have evolved various defence mechanisms against the pathogens such as Systemic Acquired Resistance (SAR) which is characterized by wide spectrum regulation of disease and associated coordinated expression of a group of pathogenesis-related (PR) genes and proteins also known as SAR-markers. In this research, chitosan nano-encapsulated recombinant protein Type III secretion System (CNP- Type III secretion System) was tested and characterized for its effect and potential as an elicitor that can increase papaya defence against E. mallotivora through the activation of the SAR mechanism. Semiquantitative reverse transcription PCR (RT-qPCR) analysis was used to characterize the expression level of this gene after papaya was treated with the CNP- Type III secretion System. Based on the study, it shows that the papaya plant that was treated with CNP- Type III secretion System showed higher resistance to the papaya dieback pathogen compared to the untreated plant and treatment with Type III secretion System as a single agent. The nano-encapsulated recombinant protein had induced SAR based on physiological and molecular analysis; increased the expression of selected SAR associated with the defence gene and increased papaya resistance to the papaya dieback pathogen.
Keywords: Systemic acquired resistance, papaya, type III secretion system, defence related gene