Unveiling resistance mechanisms to Fusarium wilt through comparative transcriptome analysis of Cicer arietinum and Cicer reticulatum

Authors

• ÖZLEM TUNAFollow
• YASİN KAYMAZFollow
• TALAP TALAPOVFollow
• CANAN CANFollow
• MUHAMMED BAHATTİN TANYOLAÇFollow
• DUYGU ATEŞFollow

Abstract

Developing resistant chickpea cultivars is essential for managing Fusarium wilt caused by Fusarium oxysporum, a major pathogen responsible for substatial yield losses. In this study, we conducted RNA-seq–based transcriptome analysis to characterize gene expression changes in resistant and susceptible genotypes of Cicer arietinum L. and C. reticulatum following inoculation with Fusarium oxysporum f. sp. ciceris race 0. Susceptible genotypes exhibited markedly higher numbers of differentially expressed genes compared with resistant genotypes. Defense-related genes were induced in all plants upon infection; however, resistant genotypes specifically upregulated genes functioning in the apoplast or extracellular region while downregulating intracellular processes—a pattern not observed in susceptible plants. Isoform-switching analysis identified six genes with genotype-specific isoform preferences, including those encoding an E3 ubiquitin–protein ligase, plastid lipid–associated protein 11, callose synthase 5-like, enoyl–acyl carrier protein reductase, and cell division cycle–associated protein 7-like. Additionally, a gene associated with leaf rust resistance (LOC101515334) exhibited notable isoform switching. Together, these findings provide novel insights into transcriptional and isoform-level mechanisms underlying chickpea resistance to Fusarium wilt and highlight potential targets for breeding disease-resistant cultivars.

Author ORCID Identifier

ÖZLEM TUNA: 0000-0002-6090-3733

YASİN KAYMAZ: 0000-0002-9725-7536

TALAP TALAPOV: 0000-0002-0211-8139

CANAN CAN: 0000-0002-0473-1914

MUHAMMED TANYOLAÇ: 0000-0002-4368-0988

DUYGU ATEŞ: 0000-0002-3395-9061

DOI

10.55730/1300-011X.3351

Keywords

Fusarium wilt, transcriptome, Cicer arietinum, Cicer reticulatum

First Page

276

Last Page

290

Publisher

The Scientific and Technological Research Council of Türkiye (TÜBİTAK)

Creative Commons License

This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License.

Recommended Citation

TUNA, Ö, KAYMAZ, Y, TALAPOV, T, CAN, C, TANYOLAÇ, M. B, & ATEŞ, D (2026). Unveiling resistance mechanisms to Fusarium wilt through comparative transcriptome analysis of Cicer arietinum and Cicer reticulatum. Turkish Journal of Agriculture and Forestry 50 (3): 276-290. https://doi.org/10.55730/1300-011X.3351