Enrichment of bermudagrass genes associated with tolerance to the spring dead spot fungus Ophiosphaerella herpotricha

Spring dead spot (SDS) is a serious root-rot fungal disease of turf-type bermudagrass (Cynodon dactylon L.), caused by Ophiosphaerella herpotricha. This research was conducted to evaluate a technology designed to identify bermudagrass genes associated with the plant and fungal interaction and to enrich for putative SDS tolerance gene transcripts. Two sets of suppression subtractive hybridizations (SSH) were conducted: (1) between fungal infected tolerant cultivar (Yukon) and susceptible cultivar (Jackpot) and (2) between fungal infected and non-infected Jackpot. A total of 323 unigenes were identified. The differential expression of the SSH enriched clones was confirmed by arraying and probing with RNA from fungal tolerant and susceptible plants. Higher expression of genes involved in defense response and signal transduction may associate with improved tolerance to fungal infection.