Abstract
Pseudomonas, Ralstonia, and Xanthomonas are important genera of plant pathogenic bacteria that affect commercially cultivated crops. We developed an assay to assess the viability and development of bacterial pathogens in Arabidopsis thaliana by detecting rpoD mRNA using a quantitative reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction (qRT-PCR). rpoD is a representative housekeeping gene that encodes the principal RNA polymerase sigma factor. Quantification of rpoD mRNA by qRT-PCR allowed easy detection of viability and development of the pathogens in infected plant tissue. Therefore, qRT-PCR technology provides new research opportunities for investigation of host–pathogen interactions.
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Acknowledgments
We thank Ms Nami Hosaka and Ms Mariko Miyashita for excellent technical assistance. This work was supported in part by the Industrial Technology Research Grant Program in 2004 and 2009 from the New Energy and Industrial Technology Development Organization (NEDO) of Japan, by the Program for Promotion of Basic and Applied Researches for Innovations in Bio-oriented Industry (BRAIN) to Y.N., and by a Grant-in-Aid for Scientific Research (KAKENHI) (21580060 to Y.N. and 21780038 to M.N.).
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Narusaka, M., Shiraishi, T., Iwabuchi, M. et al. rpoD gene expression as an indicator of bacterial pathogens in host plants. J Gen Plant Pathol 77, 75–80 (2011). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10327-011-0298-x
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10327-011-0298-x