Functional Analysis of Long Non-Coding RNAs Reveal Their Novel Roles in Biocontrol of Bacteria-Induced Tomato Resistance to .

Root-knot nematodes (RKNs) severely affect plants growth and productivity, and several commercial biocontrol bacteria can improve plants resistance to RKNs. Sneb821 isolate was found to induce tomatoes resistance against . However, the molecular functions behind induced resistance remains unclear. Long non-coding RNA (lncRNA) is considered to be a new component that regulates the molecular functions of plant immunity. We found lncRNA was involved in Sneb821-induced tomato resistance to . Compared with tomato inoculated with , high-throughput sequencing showed that 43 lncRNAs were upregulated, while 35 lncRNAs were downregulated in tomatoes previously inoculated with Sneb821. A regulation network of lncRNAs was constructed, and the results indicated that 12 lncRNAs were found to act as sponges of their corresponding miRNAs. By using qRT-PCR and the overexpression vector pBI121, we found the expression of lncRNA44664 correlated with miR396/GRFs (growth-regulating factors) and lncRNA48734 was correlated with miR156/SPL (squamosal promoter-binding protein-like) transcription factors. These observations provided a novel molecular model in biocontrol bacteria-induced tomato resistance to .