Tackling organ-specificity in the potato – late blight interaction
A. LACAZE (1), F. Sormany (1) (1) Université de Moncton, Canada

Coevolution between plants and pathogens has culminated in intricate patterns where pathogens can present various levels of specificity. Of particular interest is the pathogen Phytophthora infestans, a notorious oomycete which shows intermediate specificity and colonize related host species of Solanaceae such as potato and tomato. P. infestans is responsible for potato late blight and is able to attack both potato foliage and tubers. Thus, it is crucial to consider another level of specificity when investigating the potato-late blight pathosystem, being the organ-specificity. Despite the importance of this aspect in plant-pathogen interaction, the molecular basis of organ-specificity of both plant defense and pathogen virulence is largely unknown. This study aims at deciphering the mechanisms underlying organ-specificity aspects of the interaction between potato and late blight, through transcriptomic analyses of both P. infestans and potato transcripts. The first essential step is to compare the transcriptomic profiles in distinct potato organs (leaves and tubers) during various infection stages. These investigations will mainly focus on the effectors of P. infestans to determine whether or not distinct sets of those effectors are deployed during the colonization of host tissues in an organ-specific manner. Concomitantly, another area of focus will be on potato defense mechanisms to assess to what extent the resistance to P. infestans relies on organ-specific processes.

Abstract Number: P9-274
Session Type: Poster