Molecular Cloning and Characterization of a Wild Eggplant Solanum aculeatissimum NBS-LRR Gene, Involved in Plant Resistance to Meloidogyne incognita.

Root-knot nematodes, spp., cause considerable damage in eggplant production. Transferring of resistance genes from wild relatives would be valuable for the continued improvement of eggplant. , a wild relative of eggplant possessing resistance to , is potentially useful for genetically enhancing eggplant. In the present study, we have isolated and characterized a nucleotide-binding site leucine-rich repeat (NBS-LRR) resistance gene, designated as . The full-length cDNA of the gene was obtained using the technique of rapid-amplification of cDNA ends (RACE). The open reading frame of the gene was 4014 bp and encoded a protein of 1338 amino acids. Sequence analysis indicated that belong to the non- Toll/Interleukin-1 receptor (TIR)-NBS-LRR type disease-resistance genes. Interestingly, quantitative RT-PCR showed that is expressed at low levels in uninfected roots, but was up-regulated by infection with . To investigate the role of in resistance against , the tobacco rattle virus (TRV)-mediated virus-induced gene silencing (VIGS) system was used. Silencing of enhanced susceptibility of plants to , suggesting the possible involvement of in resistance against infection.