RNA-Seq raw data of maize inbred bulks resistant and susceptible to Fusarium verticillioides

Abstract

Fusarium verticillioides has been known as a causing agent of maize ear rot for long time, but the discovery of fumonisins, mycotoxins produced by F. verticillioides, increased concerns on kernel infection by F. verticillioides. A bulk-segregant RNA-seq approach has been used to identify differentially expressed genes (DEG) between bulks of four resistant and four susceptible inbreds to Fusarium ear rot (FER) and kernel fumonisin contamination in order to uncover the pathways involved in resistance. All inbreds were originated from the same F2 population. Plants were selfcrossed and 15 days later the main ear of the plant was inoculated. RNA-seq analysis was done with RNA extracted from kernels collected 10 days after inoculation using three biological replicates for each bulk (different plants of each inbred were used in each replicate). Bulk samples were barcoded and prepared for sequencing at Novogene Co., Ltd, where 150 bp paired-end (PE) reads were obtained on an Illumina 1.9.