Priming Plants to Withstand Drought Tolerance: Systemic Responses of Tomato Plants Mediated by a Root-Residing Fungal Endophyte

Contains 1 file the supplementary figure 4: This Excel workbook sheet provides an overview of the predicted subcellular localization and differential gene expression of tomato genes in response to FsK colonization and drought stress conditions. Identifiers, functional descriptions, and localizations were derived from RNA-seq analyses integrated with computational prediction οf subsecullar localization using Deeploc v2.0. Abstract Fusarium solani strain K (FsK) is a beneficial soil-borne endophytic fungus isolated from tomato plant root tissues. Previous research demonstrated its role in protecting tomato plants from biotic stressors such as pathogens and pests. This study evaluated the potential of FsK to confer drought tolerance in tomato plants. FsK-inoculated and control plants were subjected to an irrigation scheme simulating reduced water availability. Transcriptome and metabolome analyses were conducted to identify molecular and biochemical responses. FsK-colonized plants displayed enhanced drought tolerance, including increased relative water content and biomass accumulation. Transcriptomic analyses revealed upregulation of genes related to abscisic acid (ABA) and jasmonic acid (JA) signaling, WRKY transcription factors, and MAPK signaling pathways. Metabolomic profiling highlighted significant accumulation of phenolic compounds as well as malic acid. FsK functions as a priming agent, enabling tomato plants to withstand drought stress by modulating gene expression and metabolite accumulation.