Integrated Transcriptomic and Proteomic Analyses Reveal Wheat Responses Associated with High-Temperature All-Stage Resistance to Puccinia striiformis f. sp. tritici

Abstract

The obligate biotrophic fungus Puccinia striiformis f. sp. tritici (Pst) frequently overcomes host immunity through rapid evolution. The wheat landrace Paozimai exhibits high-temperature all-stage resistance (HTAS) to Pst, a type of resistance expressed at relatively high temperatures across all growth stages. In this study, we investigated host–pathogen interactions using integrated transcriptomic and data-independent acquisition proteomic analyses. Dual RNA-seq analysis at 192 and 216 h post-inoculation (hpi) revealed a shift in enriched Pst pathways during the late latent period, from endoplasmic reticulum protein processing and fatty acid metabolism at 192 hpi to carbohydrate and glutathione metabolism at 216 hpi. In the host, differentially expressed genes (DEGs) were enriched in defense-related signaling pathways at 192 hpi and in metabolic pathways at 216 hpi. Co-expression network analysis identified ribosomal and protein biosynthesis processes that may contribute to defense. Proteomic analysis showed greater overlap across time points, with oxidative phosphorylation enriched at 192 hpi and glycan biosynthesis at 216 hpi. Furthermore, integrated multi-omics and co-expression network analysis identified 16 candidate wheat genes, including genes encoding ribosomal proteins and stress-response proteins. These findings describe temperature-associated host and pathogen responses during HTAS and nominate candidates for functional validation.