Transcriptome Analysis Reveals the Response of Iron Homeostasis to Early Feeding by Small Brown Planthopper in Rice

It has been documented that planthopper attacks change iron (Fe) content of rice plants. To investigate whether planthopper attacks change rice Fe homeostasis at the molecular level, the response of rice Fe homeostasis to early feeding by small brown planthopper (SBPH) was examined by transcriptome profiling. Results showed that the concentration of Fe and nicotianamine decreased in resistant rice genotype and increased in susceptible rice genotype after attack by SBPH. Transcriptome profiling showed that 13 and 21 Fe homeostasis-related genes encoded enzymes that were involved in phytosiderophore biosynthesis and that Fe transporters and regulators displayed altered expression in resistant and susceptible rice genotypes, respectively, after attack by SBPH. This revealing response of Fe homeostasis to planthopper attack in rice at the molecular level provided new insight into rice plants’ response to planthopper attack and uncovered a novel physiological response of rice to planthopper attack, which extended our knowledge of the early interaction between rice and SBPH.