Identification and analysis of the differential expression of the NPR family in Persian lemon with HLB

The NPR1 gene (No expresor de PR Genes1) and its homologues are regulators of Systemic Adquired Resistance (SAR), genes through their interaction with transcription factors allows the expression of defense genes or proteins related to pathogenesis (PR) and thus the improvement of resistance and are also considered receptors of salicylic acid. To date there are no records on its identification and analysis in Citrus latifolia. The present work aimed to identify the presence of the NPR family in the HLB-infected C. latifolia transcriptome using Arabidosis thaliana and Citrus sinensis reference genes. When obtaining the C. latifolia transcriptome, bioinformatics programs (Uniprot, Phytozome, BLAST, Linux, BioEdit and TnT) were used to identify NPR genes expressed in C. latifolia. As a result, a total of 5 genes were found: 2 NPR1 genes, 1 NPR3, and 2 putative genes: NPR1 and NPR4, expressed positively and negatively without statistical significance. The identified genes proved to belong to the same subfamilies of C. sinensis sharing similar protein domain composition patterns, so it can be said that these homologs could be effective against the CLas pathogen, since they induce a defense response. These findings present the bases as a management measure to combat HLB.