Figure 6.

PpERF98-1 and 2 form heterodimers and homodimers and interact with PpERF1-1/2 in aggravating peach seedlings susceptibility to L. theobromae. A) In vivo interaction between PpERF98-1 and PpERF98-2 by BiFC assay in N. benthamiana leaves. Bar = 20 μm. B) Heterodimer formation between PpERF98-1/2 and PpERF1-1/2 in vivo by BiFC analysis. Bar = 20 μm. C) Schematic diagram of the construct combinations for LCI analysis, showing 1 experimental group (Gene1-nLUC + Gene2-cLUC) and 3 parallel controls in 1 tobacco leaf. D) Interactions between PpERF98-1 and PpERF98-2 by LCI. E and F) Interactions between PpERF98-1/2 and PpERF1-1/2 as determined by LCI. Combinations of nLUC or cLUC with the corresponding PpERF98-1/2 and PpERF1-1/2 constructs were used as negative controls. G and H) Lesion phenotype and size in peach leaves after coinfiltration with PpERF98-1/2-OE and PpERF1-1/2-OE constructs in Agrobacterium for 48 h and inoculation with L. theobromae at 24 and 48 hpi. Bar = 2 cm. Peach seedlings transformed with the empty vector and inoculated with L. theobromae were regarded as controls (empty). Leaf images were digitally extracted with a same scale in panel G), bar = 2 cm. Different letters show statistical significance of different treatments at the same time point and P < 0.05 based on Duncan's post hoc test. Error bars represent are means ± Sd of 3 independent replicates.