Genomic Strategies for Disease Resistance in Tobacco Cultivation

Tobacco cultivation is severely constrained by a variety of foliar and soil-borne pathogens, most notably the oomycete Phytophthora nicotianae that causes black shank, as well as Peronospora tabacina responsible for blue mould. Traditional breeding for resistance has often been impeded by the complex inheritance of defence traits and adaptation of pathogens. In recent years, genomic strategies have provided new avenues to dissect and deploy host resistance. High-throughput transcriptome profiling has revealed networks of defence-associated genes, including resistance (R) genes, pathogenesis-related proteins, receptor-like kinases and transcription factors. Functional characterisation of individual components, such as F-box-Nictaba lectins and cytochrome P450 enzymes, has demonstrated their roles in hormone-mediated signalling, cell-wall reinforcement and the ubiquitin–proteasome pathway. Marker-assisted backcrossing of single loci into elite cultivars, and the creation of near-isogenic lines, have enabled precise evaluation of resistance alleles in a uniform genetic background. Emerging tools for genome editing and plastid transformation hold promise for rapid incorporation of novel resistance genes. Collectively, these approaches aim to deliver durable, broad-spectrum resistance while minimising reliance on chemical controls, thereby improving yield stability and sustainability in global tobacco production.

Research from Nature Portfolio

Comparative transcriptome analyses in resistant and susceptible tobacco cultivars have identified hundreds of differentially expressed genes upon Phytophthora inoculation. Resistant lines showed early and sustained induction of RLP/RLK receptors, calcium-dependent protein kinases and WRKY transcription factors, whereas susceptible lines exhibited delayed or attenuated defence responses. Mapping of these candidate genes onto plant–pathogen interaction pathways has offered molecular targets for breeding.

Whole-plant transcriptomic profiling of root and stem tissues at multiple time points post-inoculation has further delineated core defence mechanisms. In resistant genotypes, the expression of chitinases, glucanases and other pathogenesis-related proteins was upregulated within hours of infection, accompanied by enrichment of salicylic acid signalling and secondary-metabolite biosynthesis. In contrast, susceptible varieties displayed suppression of key wound-response genes, underscoring the importance of early recognition and signalling cascades in durable resistance.

Genomic Strategies for Disease Resistance in Tobacco Cultivation publication trend

The graph below shows the total number of articles in genomic strategies for disease resistance in tobacco cultivation across all publications each year (not limited to Nature Index journals).

Technical terms

F-box protein: Component of the SCF (SKP1–Cullin–F-box) E3 ubiquitin ligase complex that recognises specific proteins for ubiquitination and degradation.

Transcriptome: The complete set of RNA transcripts present in a cell or tissue at a given time.

iTRAQ: Isobaric Tags for Relative and Absolute Quantification; a proteomic technique for simultaneous identification and quantification of proteins across multiple samples.

Pathogenesis-related proteins (PR proteins): A class of plant proteins induced upon pathogen attack that contribute to defence through antimicrobial or structural functions.

Near-isogenic line (NIL): A plant line in which a single genomic region from a donor is introgressed into the genetic background of a recurrent parent, facilitating functional analysis of specific loci.

References

1. NpPP2-B10, an F-Box-Nictaba Gene, Promotes Plant Growth and Resistance to Black Shank Disease Incited by Phytophthora nicotianae in Nicotiana tabacum. International Journal of Molecular Sciences (2023).
2. Transcriptomic profile of tobacco in response to Phytophthora nicotianae infection. Scientific Reports (2017).
3. Comparative transcriptome analysis reveals resistant and susceptible genes in tobacco cultivars in response to infection by Phytophthora nicotianae. Scientific Reports (2021).
4. Unraveling the expression of differentially expressed proteins and enzymatic activity in response to Phytophthora nicotianae across different flue-cured tobacco cultivars. BMC Microbiology (2022).
5. Overexpression of SoCYP85A1 Increases the Accumulation of Castasterone and Confers Enhanced Black Shank Tolerance in Tobacco Through Modulation of the Antioxidant Enzymes’ Activities. Frontiers in Plant Science (2019).
6. Transcriptomics and iTRAQ-proteomics analyses provide novel insights into the defense mechanism of black shank disease in tobacco. Frontiers in Plant Science (2022).
7. Adopt the tobacco plastid transformation technics in Hungary. Acta Agraria Debreceniensis (2010).