Comparative Transcriptomic Analysis of the Interaction between and Apple Fruit ( Mill.) during Early Stages of Infection.

Blue mold, caused by , is an important postharvest disease of apple, and can result in significant economic losses. The present study investigated the interaction between and wounded apple fruit tissues during the early stages of the infection. Spores of became activated one hour post-inoculation (hpi), exhibited swelling at 3 hpi, and the germ tubes were found entering into apple tissues at 6 hpi. RNA-seq was performed on samples of and apple fruit tissue collected at 1, 3, and 6 hpi. The main differentially expressed genes (DEGs) that were identified in were related to interaction, cell wall degradation enzymes, anti-oxidative stress, pH regulation, and effectors. Apple tissues responded to the presence of by activating pathogen-associated molecular pattern (PAMP)-triggered immunity (PTI) at 1 hpi, then activated effector-triggered immunity (ETI) at 3 hpi. This research provides new information on the interaction between and apple fruit tissue at an early stage of the infection process.