Expression of tomato susceptibility genes triggered by Xanthomonas euvesicatoria pv. perforans and disease control by short antisense oligodeoxynucleotide gene silencing

Sources of durable resistance against bacterial spot of tomato have been prioritized for disease management. However, traditional resistance through resistance genes is scarce and does not always confer a broad and lasting protection to this disease. An alternative is a recessive resistance, mediated by mutation or silencing of host genes that confer susceptibility, known as S-genes. Some bacterial pathogens induce the expression of such genes to promote host colonization, and their identification is necessary to implement alternative management strategies, such as short antisense oligodeoxynucleotides (ASOs) capable of silencing a specific target gene. The approach taken in this study helps to understand the behavior of S-genes during the interaction of tomato with Xanthomonas euvesicatoria pv. perforans (Xep). We compared the expression pattern of 17 S-genes selected from the literature in response to others pathogen infections, including Transcription initiation factor IIA subunit 2 (gamma) (SlTFIIA gamma), Defense No Death 1 (DND1) and several Sugars Will Eventually Be Exported Transporters (SWEET), that have not been shown yet as tomato S-genes during Xep interaction. Our data reveal that the expression of several putative host S-genes was positively modulated during bacterial infection. In addition, we showed that an ASO targeting the SlTFIIA gamma gene remarkably improved plant resistance against bacterial attack.