Expression of defence‐related genes in stems and leaves of resistant and susceptible field pea (Pisum sativum) during infection by Phoma koolunga

The differential expression of 13 defence‐related genes during Phoma koolunga infection of stems and leaves of susceptible versus resistant field pea (Pisum sativum) was determined using qRT‐PCR. Expression, in terms of relative mRNA level ratios, of genes encoding ferredoxin NADP oxidoreductase, 6a‐hydroxymaackiain methyltransferase (hmm6), chalcone synthase (PSCHS3) and ascorbate peroxidase in leaves and stems differed during 6–72 hours post‐inoculation (hpi) and reflected known host resistance levels in leaves versus stems. In comparison to the susceptible genotype, at 24, 48 and 72 hpi, two genes, hmm6 (122.43‐, 206.99‐ and 32.25‐fold, respectively) and PSCHS3 (175.00‐, 250.13‐ and 216.24‐fold, respectively), were strongly up‐regulated in leaves of the resistant genotype, highlighting that resistance against P. koolunga in field pea is governed by the early synthesis of pisatin. At 24 hpi, leaves infected by P. koolunga showed clear differences in expression of target genes. For example, the gene encoding a precursor of the defensin ‘disease resistance response protein 39’ was substantially down‐regulated in leaves of both the susceptible and the resistant genotypes inoculated with P. koolunga. This contrasts with other studies on another pea black spot pathogen, Didymella pinodes, where this same gene is strongly up‐regulated in leaves of resistant and susceptible genotypes. The current study provides the first understanding of defence‐related genes involved in the resistance against P. koolunga, opening novel avenues to engineer new field pea cultivars with improved leaf and stem black spot disease resistance as the basis for developing more effective and sustainable management strategies.     

Narrow sense heritability estimates of bacterial leaf spot resistance in pseudo F2 (F1) population of mulberry (Morus spp.)

Bacterial leaf spot incited by Xanthomonas campestris pv. mori is a devastating foliar disease of mulberry reported globally. Host plant resistance is the most sustainable and economic control measure but so far unexplored. Highly heterozygous plant behaviour and scant genetic information of bacterial leaf spot resistance limits a targetted breeding approach in mulberry. In the present research eight pseudo-F₂(F₁)full-sib progenies derived from selected resistant and susceptible sources were evaluated symptomatically for bacterial leaf spot resistance under natural disease occurrence in 2008 and 2009. Significant variation for bacterial leaf spot resistance was observed in the parents and progenies. Broad sense heritability estimate (0.9) indicates that selection of resistant genotypes can be useful for exploitation in future advanced breeding programs for mulberry. High narrow sense heritability estimates (0.76)[2008] and (0.79)[2009] suggest additive gene effects for the disease resistant trait. The continuous frequency distribution of diseases severity across the progenies indicates that bacterial leaf spot resistance in mulberry may be inherited quantitatively.     

Molecular analysis of resistance mechanisms to Orobanche cumana in sunflower

Resistance to the dicotyledenous parasite Orobanche cumana in sunflower is characterized by a low number of parasitic attachments and a confinement of the parasite in host tissues leading to its necrosis. To help understand what determines such resistance mechanisms, molecular, biochemical and histological approaches were employed before (early response) and after (late response) attachment of the broomrape parasite to susceptible (2603) and resistant (LR1) sunflower genotypes. The expression patterns of 11 defence-related genes known to be involved in different metabolic pathways (phenylpropanoids, jasmonate, ethylene) and/or in resistance mechanisms against microorganisms were investigated. RT-PCR and cDNA blot experiments revealed that the resistant genotype exhibited a stronger overall defence response against O. cumana than the susceptible one, involving marker genes of the jasmonate (JA) and salicylic acid (SA) pathways. Among them, the SA-responsive gene, def. (defensin), appeared to be characteristic of LR1 sunflower resistance. However, no JA accumulation and similar SA contents (250–300 ng g⁻¹ FW) were measured by GC/MS in both genotypes, parasitized or not. In addition, three cDNAs, isolated by a suppression-subtractive hybridization, were shown to be strongly induced only in the resistant genotype 8 days post-inoculation, when the first O. cumana attachments occurred. These genes, putatively encoding a methionine synthase, a glutathione S-transferase and a quinone oxidoreductase, might be involved in detoxification of reactive oxygen species, suggesting the occurrence of an oxidative burst during the incompatible interaction. Finally, host cell-wall modifications leading to parasite-confinement were correlated with more intense callose depositions in the resistant genotype, concomitant with over-expression of the callose synthase cDNA HaGSL1 .     

Characterization of tolerance to Fusarium oxysporum f.sp., cubense infection in banana using suppression subtractive hybridization and gene expression analysis

Identification of defense response genes in the host is one of the most essential steps in understanding disease resistance mechanisms in plants. In this study, suppression subtractive hybridization (SSH) library was constructed to study the genes involved in response to fusarium wilt disease in banana. Here cDNAs from a tolerant genotype Musa acuminata spp. burmannicoides ‘Calcutta-4’ infected by Fusarium oxysporum f.sp., cubense were used as tester and cDNAs from uninfected ‘Calcutta-4’ as driver population. After hybridization and cloning, EST library of 83 non-redundant clones were obtained. Based on sequence analysis and homology search in NCBI database the clones were assigned to different functional categories. The expression pattern of selected eight defense related genes namely peroxidase, glutaredoxin, polyphenol oxidase, glutamate synthase, S-adenosyl methionine synthetase, 14-3-3, heat shock protein, mannose binding lectin were analyzed through real-time PCR in contrasting genotypes. It was observed that the expression of these genes during initial progression of disease was found to be higher in tolerant genotype ‘Calcutta-4’ than in susceptible genotype ‘Kadali’.     

Alteration of gene expression profile in the roots of wild diploid Arachis duranensis inoculated with Ralstonia solanacearum

Bacterial wilt caused by Ralstonia solanacearum is a serious disease of peanut (Arachis hypogaea) in China. However, the molecular basis of peanut resistance to R. solanacearum is poorly understood. Arachis duranensis, a wild diploid species of the genus Arachis, has been proven to be resistant to bacterial wilt, and thus holds valuable potential for understanding the mechanism of resistance to bacterial wilt and genetic improvement of peanut disease resistance. Here, suppression subtractive hybridization (SSH) and macroarray hybridization were employed to detect differentially expressed genes (DEGs) in the roots of A. duranensis after R. solanacearum inoculation. A total of 317 unique genes were obtained, 265 of which had homologues and functional annotations. KEGG analysis revealed that a large proportion of these unigenes are mainly involved in the biosynthesis of phytoalexins, particularly in the biosynthetic pathways of terpenoids and flavonoids. Subsequent real‐time polymerase chain reaction (PCR) analysis showed that the terpenoid and flavonoid synthesis‐related genes showed higher expression levels in a resistant genotype of A. duranensis than in a susceptible genotype, indicating that the terpenoids and flavonoids probably played a fundamental role in the resistance of A. duranensis to R. solanacearum. This study provides an overview of the gene expression profile in the roots of wild Arachis species in response to R. solanacearum infection. Moreover, the related candidate genes are also valuable for the further study of the molecular mechanisms of resistance to R. solanacearum.     

芝麻抗棒孢叶斑病种质资源评价及利用分析

为明确芝麻种质资源对棒孢叶斑病的抗性水平,本试验采用田间人工接菌方法对174份芝麻种质资源抗病性进行评价。田间试验结果表明,供试芝麻材料中没有免疫及高抗品种,通过聚类分析可将供试品种分为5个类群,其中抗病品种32个、中抗品种17个、中感品种69个、感病品种30个、高感品种26个,占参试品种的比例分别为18.39%、9.77%、39.66%、17.24%、14.94%。经亲本系谱分析,抗棒孢叶斑病品种的亲本对棒孢叶斑病也表现良好抗性,说明抗病基因资源的利用对芝麻品种选育至关重要,在育种工作中应加强品种系谱分析,充分利用抗病基因资源。     

Cloning and characterization of NBS-LRR encoding resistance gene candidates from Tomato Leaf Curl New Delhi Virus resistant genotype of Luffa cylindrica Roem

We employed degenerate primers to amplify nucleotide-binding site (NBS) domain of resistance gene candidates (RGCs) from Tomato Leaf Curl New Delhi Virus (ToLCNDV) resistant Luffa cylindrica (sponge gourd) genotype, DSG-6. Sixteen non-redundant sequences of RGCs were identified with un-interrupted open reading frames (ORFs) and high amino acid sequence homologies (60–98%) to various nucleotide-binding site leucine-rich repeat (NBS-LRR) proteins from GenBank database. Alignment of the deduced amino acid sequence and phylogenetic analysis of the NBS domain revealed six and ten sponge gourd (sg) RGCs belong to the Toll Interleukin Receptor (TIR) and non-TIR group of NBS-LRR genes, respectively. The sgRGCs consisted of conserved NB-ARC [homologous region shared with APAF-1 (apoptotic protease-activating factor-1), R proteins and CED-4 (Caenorhabditis elegans death-4 protein)] domain from P-loop nucleoside triphosphatase (NTPase) family and characteristic P-loop, Kinase-2, RNBS-A, Kinase-3A and GLPL motifs. The comparative analysis of expression profiles of sgRGCs in asymptomatic and field-driven symptomatic leaf tissues of ToLCNDV resistant and susceptible genotypes revealed RGCLc28 is expressed consistently in resistant genotypes. The differentially expressed RGCLc28 of DSG-6 is predicted to have strong association with the resistance trait against the leaf curl and mosaic disease in sponge gourd and may serve as important genomic resource for candidate gene discovery.     

Development of a Scale for Evaluation of Tomato yellow leaf curl virus Resistance Level in Tomato Plants

ABSTRACT We have developed a scale of differential hosts that enables the determination and comparison of level of resistance to Tomato yellow leaf curl virus (TYLCV) expressed by resistant tomato lines or by individual plants in a segregating population. The scale is composed of seven different homozygous tomato genotypes that exhibit different levels of TYLCV resistance, ranging from fully susceptible to highly resistant. The differential hosts composing the scale were inoculated with TYLCV under greenhouse conditions. Four weeks after inoculation the plants were evaluated for disease symptom severity, and virus DNA titer was determined. The different genotypes were arranged in the scale according to symptom severity score. The different genotypes were then tested under different environmental conditions, inoculated at different ages, and tested in a field experiment assaying TYLCV-induced yield reduction. While the symptom severity score of each individual resistant genotype changed under different environmental conditions, the relative position on the scale did not alter, except for one genotype. Thus, to evaluate disease resistance of a given tomato genotype, the genotype in question should be inoculated alongside the differential hosts composing the scale, and within 4 weeks one can determine the relative level of resistance of the tested genotype.     

外引玉米种质对3种玉米叶斑病的抗性鉴定与评价

2012-2013年,应用田间人工接种的方法对引进的165份国外玉米种质进行了玉米大斑病、灰斑病、弯孢菌叶斑病等3种病害同步抗性鉴定与评价,结果表明:引进的国外玉米种质对3种玉米叶斑病的抗性表现均存在差异,表现抗病的种质较少,大部分种质表现感病或高度感病;抗性种质均以中抗为主,表明国外玉米种质对3种叶斑病的抗病能力较低。筛选出一批单抗性种质和兼抗2种或3种叶斑病的多抗性种质37份,为抗病育种提供了重要基础材料。     

Genetics of resistance to cotton leaf curl disease in Gossypium hirsutum

Twenty-two cotton varieties were screened for resistance to cotton leaf curl disease (CLCuD), a disease of viral origin, using three procedures: field evaluation, whitefly transmission assay and graft inoculation. Viral infection of cotton varieties was determined by visual symptom assessment as well as dot-blot and multiplex PCR diagnostic techniques. Crosses were made between the most susceptible variety (S-12) and highly resistant varieties (CP-15/2, LRA-5166 and CIM-443). All F₁ plants of these crosses were resistant, showing dominant expression of the resistance as well as the absence of extrachromosomal inheritance. The F₂ plants of the crosses CP-15/2 × S12, LRA-5166 × S-12 and CIM-443 × S12 exhibited a ratio of 13 resistant (symptomless) to three susceptible (with symptoms). Screening of the F₂ generation for virus infection by multiplex PCR further subdivided the resistant class into those exhibiting a high level of resistance (HR; PCR-negative) and those exhibiting resistance (R; symptomless, yet showing virus replication by PCR analysis). Hence, the final ratio was 3:10:3 (HR:resistant:susceptible). The F₃ progeny of susceptible F₂ plants segregated for resistance, indicating the probable presence of a suppressor gene ( S ). These findings are consistent with three genes being involved in G. hirsutum resistance to CLCuD, two for resistance ( R _1CLCuDhir and R _2CLCuDhir ) and a suppressor of resistance ( S _CLCuDhir ).     

Microarray analysis of global gene regulation in the Cry1Ab-resistant and Cry1Ab-susceptible strains of Diatraea saccharalis

BACKGROUND: Extensive adoption of transgenic Bt corn in recent years for stalk borer control has increased risk of resistance evolution in the target pest populations. A Bt‐resistant strain of the sugarcane borer, Diatraea saccharalis, was approximately 100‐fold more tolerant to Cry1Ab toxin than the susceptible counterpart. To gain a better understanding of the molecular mechanisms of Bt resistance, the Cry1Ab‐susceptible (Cry1Ab‐SS) and Cry1Ab‐resistant (Cry1Ab‐RR) strains of D. saccharalis were subjected to a microarray analysis. RESULTS: Results showed that the expression levels of many genes were significantly different between the Cry1Ab‐RR and Cry1Ab‐SS strains. Microarray analysis of 7145 cDNAs revealed 384 differentially expressed genes. A total of 273 genes were significantly upregulated 2–51.6‐fold, and 111 genes were significantly downregulated 2–22.6‐fold in the Cry1Ab‐RR strain. The upregulation of three potential resistance‐related genes, coding for a glutathione S‐transferase (GST), a chymotrypsin‐like protease (CHY) and a lipase (LP), was confirmed using real‐time PCR, indicating a reproducibility of the microarray data. Ontology analysis revealed that more than twice the number of metabolic‐related genes were upregulated compared with downregulated genes with the same biological function. Up to 35.2% of the upregulated genes in the resistant strain were associated with catalytic activity, while only 9.5% of the downregulated genes were related to the same catalytic molecular function. CONCLUSION: The large portion of metabolic‐ or catalytic‐related genes with significant upregulations indicated a potential large increase in metabolic or catalytic activities in the Cry1Ab‐RR strain. This cDNA microarray gene expression data could be used to characterize and identify new genes that may be associated with Bt resistance in D. saccharalis. Copyright © 2012 Society of Chemical Industry     

Heritability of dollar spot resistance in creeping bentgrass

ABSTRACT The dollar spot disease incited by Sclerotinia homoeocarpa is an important disease of creeping bentgrass (Agrostis stolonifera). Genetic resistance is an important control strategy and could reduce fungicide use. Despite recent research, the genetic mechanism of dollar spot resistance in turfgrasses is still not fully understood. The objectives of this study were to (i) determine narrow-sense heritability and predicted gain from selection for dollar spot resistance in creeping bentgrass and (ii) evaluate inheritance characteristics of dollar spot disease resistance. Inheritance characteristics such as the detection of major genes, heterosis, maternal effects, and combining ability were determined by evaluating the disease severity of progeny from crosses between resistant and susceptible bent-grass clones. Parental clones and progenies from crosses were established in a field trial in a randomized complete block design and inoculated with one isolate of S. homoeocarpa applied at a rate of 0.25 g m(-2) of prepared inoculum. Differences in progeny means between crosses were observed over both years. Progeny from resistant x resistant crosses had significantly less disease severity than resistant x susceptible and susceptible x susceptible crosses. High narrow-sense heritability estimates (0.79 [2002], 0.79 [2003]) and large mean squares for general combining ability support the idea that additive gene action plays a significant role in disease resistance and support previous research that dollar spot resistance is most likely quantitatively inherited.     

46份野生葡萄株系对霜霉病的抗性鉴定及其相关基因的表达

为明确不同野生葡萄株系对霜霉病的抗性差异,以18个种的46份野生葡萄株系为试材,采用叶盘法鉴定其对霜霉病的抗性,并利用实时荧光定量PCR(real-time quantitative polymerase chain reaction,RT-qPCR)技术对部分关键基因进行定量分析,探讨其在不同抗病株系中的表达模式差异。结果表明,46份野生葡萄株系的病情指数为0～34.72,其中17份为感病株系,病情指数在25.93～34.72;21份为抗病株系,病情指数在5.32～24.35;5份圆叶葡萄株系均表现为免疫,病情指数为0.00;云南-元谋2、云南-2和木扎岭-3为高抗株系,病情指数分别为1.81、4.40和1.62。当被霜霉病菌侵染后,抗病株系和感病株系中的PAL、PR1、TLP和NPR1基因的诱导表达模式不同;与感病株系相比,抗病株系中的TLP、PR1和NPR1基因有强烈的诱导表达,PAL基因在感病株系比在抗病株系中表达量高。在免疫株系普莱德和高抗株系云南-元谋2中,NPR1与其它3个基因的表达模式差异最大;TLP在抗病株系蘡薁-林县中与其它3个基因的表达模式差异最大;在感病株系秋-嵩县中,NPR1与TLP表达模式相近,PAL和PR1表达模式相近。研究表明,在中国野生葡萄种质中,云南-元谋2、云南-2和木扎岭-3对霜霉病有良好的抗性,可作为抗病育种的原始材料;抗性基因可能在抗病株系中发挥着重要作用。     

Involvement of hepatic xenobiotic related genes in bromadiolone resistance in wild Norway rats, Rattus norvegicus (Berk.)

To examine the role of xenobiotic relevant genes in bromadiolone resistance in wild Norway rats (Rattus norvegicus) we compared the constitutive liver gene expression and expression upon bromadiolone administration in bromadiolone resistant and anticoagulant susceptible female rats using a LNA microarray and quantitative PCR. Resistant rats showed significantly higher constitutive expression of the cytochrome P450 genes Cyp2c13 and Cyp3a2 and lower expression of Cyp2e1 and Gpox1 compared to the susceptible rats. The Cyp1a2, Cyp2c13, Cyp2e1, Cyp3a2 and Cyp3a3 genes were significantly higher expressed in resistant than susceptible rats upon bromadiolone exposure. To establish how bromadiolone affected xenobiotic gene expression in the two strains we compared bromadiolone expression profiles to saline profiles of both strains. Bromadiolone mediated significant up-regulation of Cyp2e1 and Cyp3a3 expression in the resistant rats whereas the rodenticide conferred down-regulation of Cyp2e1, Cyp3a3 and Gpox1 and induction of Cyp2c12 expression in susceptible rats. Cyp2c13 and Cyp3a2 expression were markedly suppressed in both strains upon treatment. This suggests that xenobiotic relevant enzymes play a role in bromadiolone resistance in the Norway rat. A high constitutive expression of Cyp2c13 and Cyp3a2 and induction of Cyp1a2, Cyp2e1 and Cyp3a3 expression during bromadiolone exposure may increase the resistance to bromadiolone presumably by facilitating increased detoxification and decreased liver injury.     

Resistance to anthracnose is decreased by tissue culture but increased with longer acclimation in the resistant strawberry cultivar

Inoculation of tissue-cultured plants of strawberry cultivar Ichigochukanbohon-Nou2gou (Nou-2) with the anthracnose pathogen (Glomerella cingulata) results in wilting and plant death, whereas inoculation of strawberry runners grown in greenhouses results in leaf spots, not wilting or death. When tissue-cultured Nou-2 plants were acclimated for 3, 9 or 15 days, plant resistance to anthracnose increased as the acclimation period increased, suggesting that the resistance of Nou-2 may be induced by external factors. To clarify the mechanisms of resistance, we used cDNA microarray analyses to compare gene expressions among tissue-cultured and acclimated plants of the resistant cultivar Nou-2 and the susceptible cultivar Tochiotome. As a result, we identified 18 cDNA clones that were upregulated during acclimation in Nou-2 but not in Tochiotome. In a real-time RT-PCR of the 18 clones, the expression levels of three were significantly higher in acclimated plants of Nou-2. Two of the three clones showed close homology to enzymes related to flavonoid biosynthesis, i.e., leucoanthocyanidin dioxygenase (LDOX, ANS) and UDP-glucosyltransferase, putative (3-GT). The clones spotted onto the cDNA microarrays were rechecked, and 23 nonredundant cDNA clones of 13 enzymes were estimated to be flavonoid biosynthetic enzymes. Most of these clones were upregulated by acclimation in Nou-2.     

几种代谢酶基因与柑橘全爪螨对双甲脒抗性的关系

为了明确羧酸酯酶(carboxylesterase,CarE)基因、谷胱甘肽S-转移酶(glutathione S-transferases,GST)基因和过氧化氢酶(catalase,CAT)基因与柑橘全爪螨Panonychus citri对双甲脒抗性的关系,通过BLAST检索,从柑橘全爪螨转录组数据库中对这3种代谢酶抗性相关基因进行鉴定,并采用RPKM法对双甲脒抗性品系和敏感品系代谢抗性相关基因进行表达差异分析,对差异较大的基因作定量PCR检测.基因差异性分析发现,抗性品系中有9条CarE基因、12条GST基因及6条CAT基因表达量发生上调,13条CarE基因、12条GST基因和3条CAT基因表达量发生下调;Pc29773nrt、Pcl7807nlg和Unigene31477为上调倍数最高的3个基因,其log2 ratio (RS/SS)分别为12.95、10.81、10.01.定量分析显示,Pc29773 nrt、Pcl7807nlg和Unigene31477的上调倍数分别为3.72、2.03和3.09,Pc29773 nrt和Unigene31477上调显著.研究表明柑橘全爪螨Pc29773nrt和Unigene31477上调与其对双甲脒的抗性相关.     

花生叶斑病研究进展

花生叶斑病是一种世界性病害,其流行可以导致花生产量减少和品质降低。本文对花生叶斑病的发生与危害、病原菌、防治措施、遗传研究、分子标记、转基因及花生抗叶斑病种质创制等多个方面的最新研究进展进行了综述。为花生抗叶斑病研究提供参考。