Local and distal gene expression of pr-1 and pr-5 in potato leaves inoculated with isolates from the old (US-1) and the new (US-8) genotypes of Phytophthora infestans (Mont.) de Bary

The time-course and the spatial accumulation of PR-proteins pr-1 and pr-5 gene transcripts were investigated in two potato cultivars differing in their levels of susceptibility to late blight, caused by Phytophthora infestans (Mont.) de Bary. Cultivars Russet Burbank (RB, susceptible) and Kennebec (KB, moderately tolerant) were inoculated with either P. infestans genotype US-1 (old lineage) or US-8 (new lineage). A strong induction of both genes was detected in both cultivars inoculated with either P. infestans genotype, as compared to the healthy-controls. The accumulation of transcripts from both genes occurred earlier in KB than in RB leaflets. By comparing the two P. infestans isolates tested, a stronger and earlier induction of both PR genes was recorded in response to US-1 as compared to US-8. The spatio-temporal profiling of pr-1 and pr-5 genes expression showed a strong and early accumulation of transcripts at the local infection site, a late and intermediate level of induction at the proximal site, and no or very weak induction at a distal site remote from the infection site. These results show that pr-1 and pr-5 genes both are related to the defense mechanisms of potato to late blight, and that the higher infection success of P. infestans US-8 as compared to US-1 might be due to the late and/or the weak induction of these defense genes.