Analyses of RNA-Seq and sRNA-Seq data reveal a complex network of anti-viral defense in TCV-infected Arabidopsis thaliana

In order to identify specific plant anti-viral genes related to the miRNA regulatory pathway, RNA-Seq and sRNA-Seq were performed using Arabidopsis WT and dcl1-9 mutant line. A total of 5,204 DEGs were identified in TCV-infected WT plants. In contrast, only 595 DEGs were obtained in the infected dcl1-9 mutant plants. GO enrichment analysis of the shared DEGs and dcl1-9 unique DEGs showed that a wide range of biological processes were affected in the infected WT plants. In addition, miRNAs displayed different patterns between mock and infected WT plants. This is the first global view of dcl1-9 transcriptome which provides TCV responsive miRNAs data. In conclusion, our results indicated the significance of DCL1 and suggested that PPR genes may play an important role in plant anti-viral defense.