Changes in spatial and temporal gene expression during incompatible interaction between common bean and anthracnose pathogen

Common bean, one of the most important legumes for human consumption, may have drastic reduction in yield due to anthracnose, a disease caused by the fungus Colletotrichum lindemuthianum. Rapid induction of the plant defense mechanisms is essential to establish an incompatible interaction with this pathogenic fungus. In this study, we evaluated spatial (leaves, epicotyls and hypocotyls) and temporal (24, 48, 72 and 96 hours after inoculation [HAI]) relative expression (RE) of 12 defense-related transcripts selected from previously developed ESTs libraries, during incompatible interaction between the resistant common bean genotype SEL 1308 and the avirulent anthracnose pathogen race 73, using real time quantitative RT-PCR (RT-qPCR) analysis. All selected transcripts, including the ones coding for pathogenesis-related (PR) proteins (PR1a, PR1b, PR2, and PR16a and PR16b) were differentially regulated upon pathogen inoculation. The expression levels of these transcripts were dependent on the tissue and time post inoculation. This study contributes to a better understanding of the kinetics of induced defenses against a fungal pathogen of common bean and may be used as a base line to study defenses against a broad range of pathogens including bacteria as well as non-host resistance.