Investigating proteome and transcriptome defense response of table grapes induced by Yarrowia lipolytica

Abstract Grape berries are vulnerable to pathogen infections, during the process of harvesting and transporting, which cause tremendous economic losses. It has been reported that Yarrowia lipolytica could effectively control postharvest diseases of grapes, however, there is a very limited amount of studies available to the researchers about molecular mechanism of induced resistance. This study aimed to reveal the molecular regulation of resistance mechanism of grapes induced by Y. lipolytica, using proteomics and transcriptomics approaches. The results of the proteomics analysis of Y. lipolytica triggered grape showed that resistant related proteins involved in the process of response to stress, pathogenesis related allergenic proteins, energy production, signal transduction and oxidoreductase of grapes were all induced by Y. lipolytica and up-regulated. Similarly, transcriptomics analysis also provided the information about the up-regulation of defence related genes in grapes treated with Y. lipolytica. Meanwhile, 9 up-regulated DEGs, identified through transcriptomics analysis were selected to validate the expression levels of the genes by RT-qPCR. The DEGs include pathogenesis related allergenic proteins (PR4, PR5 and PR10), hypersensitivity protein, WRKY transcription factor, peroxidase isoenzyme and DEGs related to the synthesis of phytoalexin. The present study evidenced that Y. lipolytica induced and increased the expression of resistance-related proteins in grapes, which were related to response stress, energy production, signal transduction and oxidoreductase, while the expression of resistance-related genes were also up-regulated, so as to enhance the defense response of grapes against various postharvest infections.