Figure 4.

Silencing of SGT1, SRC2-1, and SGT1/SRC2-1 compromises the hypersensitive cell death response in pepper leaves inoculated with P. capsici. (a) The trypan blue and DAB staining of SGT1-, SRC2-1-, and SGT1-/SRC2-1- silenced pepper leaves 24 h post inoculation with P. capsici. SGT1 and SRC2-1 were silenced in pepper plants using the virus-induced gene silencing technology. The P. capsici zoospores were dissolved in sterilized ddH₂O and infiltrated into the leaves of the pepper plants with a syringe without needle. (b) Electrolyte leakage measurements of the VIGS and control pepper leaves collected at different time points after P. capsici inoculation. The P. capsici inoculated leaves of the VIGS and control pepper plants were harvested at 24 and 48 hpi for electrolyte leakage measurement. (c) Quantitative real-time RT-PCR analysis of the expression of stress-related marker genes in leaves of VIGS and control (TRV:00) pepper plants 24 h after inoculation with P. capsici. Expression values are normalized to the expression level of CaActin and 18S ribosomal RNA. (b,c) Data represents the mean ± SD from three independent biological repetitions. Different letters indicate statistically significant differences as analyzed by an LSD test (P < 0.05). Mock, treated with 10 mM MgCl₂.