Transcriptional responses of Solanum lycopersicum to three distinct parasites reveal host hubs and networks underlying parasitic successes

Abstract

Abstract Crops face attacks from a wide range of pathogens and pests that deploy various parasitic strategies. All aggressors must manipulate major plant functions, such as immune signaling, hormone pathways, metabolism, and development, to successfully establish themselves and complete their life cycle. Here, we compared the tomato plant’s response to three evolutionary distant pathogens (nematodes, aphids and oomycetes) during compatible interactions using a transcriptomic approach. We identified differentially expressed genes and biological processes, and highlighted potential key host hubs associated with successful parasitism. By integrating recent published datasets, we refined our understanding of the global and tissue-specific mechanisms targeted during compatible interactions and, through co-expression analysis, identified clusters showing shared dysregulation patterns enriched in specific GO terms. Finally, model-to-crop translational analysis using the Arabidopsis interactome network, repositioned tomato candidates within larger interaction networks and emphasized the key positions occupied by some of them. Identifying these pivotal tomato targets is crucial to decipher processes underlying parasitism and, consequently, offers new opportunities to develop sustainable multi-pathogen control strategies.

The authors' abstract, as published at the source. Peer Community Journal, 2026 · DOI ↗