Sclerotinia sclerotiorum ( S. sclerotiorum ) is a highly destructive fungal pathogen that causes substantial yield losses in rapeseed. Glutathione S-transferases (GSTs) play key roles in plant defense by detoxifying reactive oxygen species (ROS) and modulating stress responses. In this study, the temporal transcriptome profiles of GST genes were examined during S. sclerotiorum infection. Multiple GSTs show increased expression at different stages of infection, indicating their potential involvement in defense regulation. Among them, BnaGSTU11 (BnaCnng49200D), a tau-class GST in Brassica napus , is strongly induced following infection, as confirmed by qRT-PCR. Promoter activity assays further demonstrate that BnaGSTU11 expression is responsive to S. sclerotiorum challenge. Functional characterization shows that overexpression of BnaGSTU11 enhances plant resistance to S. sclerotiorum , whereas RNA interference (RNAi) lines exhibit increased susceptibility. In addition, ROS accumulation is markedly reduced in BnaGSTU11 -overexpressing plants, as revealed by nitroblue tetrazolium (NBT) and diaminobenzidine (DAB) staining. These results indicate that BnaGSTU11 contributes to the antioxidant defense system and represents a promising target for molecular breeding aimed at improving crop resistance to this pathogen.
Zhang et al. (2026) studied this question.