LAUSR

A previous transcriptomic analysis of the roots of susceptible and resistant cultivars of sweetpotato (Ipomoea batatas) identified genes that were likely to contribute to protection against infection with the root-knot nematode Meloidogyne incognita. The current study examined the roles of peroxidase genes in sweetpotato defense responses during root-knot nematode infection, using the susceptible (cv. Yulmi) and resistant (cv. Juhwangmi) cultivars. Differentially expressed genes were assigned to gene ontology categories to predict their functional roles and associated biological processes. Comparison with Arabidopsis peroxidases identified a group of genes orthologous to Arabidopsis PEROXIDASE 52 (AtPrx52). An analysis of sweetpotato peroxidase genes determined their roles in protecting plants against root-knot nematode infection and enabled identification of important peroxidases. The interactions involved in sweetpotato resistance to nematode infection are discussed.