Figure 7

OsRap2.6 RNAi plants are susceptible to a compatible race of M. oryzae. OsRap2.6 transcript levels in RNAi plants were measured by reverse transcription qPCR for three independently transformed lines, R1, R5 and R10. The RNAi plants were grown in the greenhouse for two months and inoculated with M. oryzae compatible (virulent) Ina 86–137 (race 007) fungal spore suspensions. (A) Expression levels of OsRap2.6 transcripts in T1 OsRap2.6 RNAi plants before infection with rice blast fungus. (B) Photographs showing lesions in leaf blades in WT and OsRap2.6 RNAi plants. (C) Quantitative analysis of fungal growth showing increased susceptibility in OsRap2.6 RNAi plants 7 days after infection with a compatible race (007) of rice blast fungus. Rice Ubiquitin was used as an internal control. Bars represent the means ± SE calculated using four biological replicates where each consists of three independent technical replicates (p ≤ 0.01, n=48). (D) Lesion length of OsRap2.6 RNAi plants compared to WT (p ≤ 0.01, n=48). (E) Expression of PAL1 mRNA in OsRap2.6 RNAi plants after rice blast infection. Levels of PAL1 mRNA were down regulated as measured by reverse transcription qPCR (p ≤ 0.01).