Transcriptome Integrated with Metabolome Reveals the Molecular Mechanism of Phytoplasma Cherry Phyllody Disease on Stiff Fruit in Chinese Cherry (Cerasus pseudocerasus L.)

Phytoplasma-infected Chinese cherry (Cerasus pseudocerasus L.) exhibits symptoms of phyllody and stiff fruit. To reveal the molecular mechanism fruit, current study integrated transcriptome with metabolome. Results showed that differentially expressed genes accumulated metabolites were related to a high proportion two aspects: pathogen resistance signaling or regulatory functions, fruit majorly induced by plant biotic stress response via phytohormones signal transduction, especially pathways salicylic acid, auxin, abscisic acid. Notably, there was large overlap between phytoplasma drought genes. Phytohormone content displayed significant difference acid phytoplasma-infected higher than healthy whereas zeatin, jasmonic IAA opposite results. In addition, expression key candidate genes, including IAA4, IAA9, IAA14, IAA31, ARF5, ARF9, GH3.1, GH3.17, SAUR20, SAUR32, SAUR40, PR1a, PRB1, TGA10, SnRK2.3, AHK2, responsible for conclusion, contributed foundation understanding disease on better development, found potential involved in which could be used further research associated fields.