Differential gene expression during hypersensitive response in Phylloxera-resistant rootstock 'Borner' using custom oligonucleotide arrays

The aim of the present study was to identify genes involved in the hypersensitive response (HR) in 'Borner', a grapevine rootstock cultivar resistant to grape phylloxera. The HR was chemically induced in roots by an application of indol-3-acetic-acid (IAA). Comparisons between treated and untreated roots after different times of HR induction by IAA were realized by advanced custom DNA microarrays using 'Riesling', a phylloxera-sensitive scion, as a control. IAA induction resulted in higher numbers of differentially expressed genes in 'Borner' than in 'Riesling'. In total, 27 putative HR-related genes were identified in 'Borner'. These genes are presumably involved in the production of phytoalexins, ethylene-associated gene products, cell wall proteins and transcription factors. Thus, the present study is contributing to a better understanding of the signal transduction pathways involved in the hypersensitive reaction underlying the necrosis formation after phylloxera attack in the rootstock cultivar 'Borner'.