辽宁地区水稻资源抗稻瘟病基因的检测分析

为了明确辽宁地区水稻资源中抗稻瘟病基因的分布情况及抗病效应,选取辽宁地区水稻资源176份,鉴定了抗稻瘟病基因pi21、Pi36、Pi37、Pita、Pid2、Pid3、Pi5及Pib在这些材料中的分布情况,并接种鉴定了这些材料对稻瘟病的抗性。结果表明:176份供试材料中,83份对稻瘟病表现抗病,栽培稻、杂草稻及农家种中抗病品种所占的比率分别为41.48%、1.14%及4.54%。抗稻瘟病基因pi21、Pi36和Pi37在所有参试材料中均未检测到,且分别有74份、49份、47份、52份及89份材料携带Pita、Pid2、Pid3、Pi5及Pib的抗病等位基因。抗病基因绝大部分分布在栽培种中,农家种和杂草稻中分布较少。不含有抗稻瘟病基因和只携带单个抗病基因的材料对稻瘟病的抗性均较差,而抗病基因聚合可不同程度提高材料的抗性。经检测,不含有本试验鉴定的pi21等8个已克隆抗病基因的材料共32份,其中表现抗病的占21.87%;只携带1个抗稻瘟病基因的材料为52份,表现抗病的占17.31%;携带2个抗稻瘟病基因的材料为39份,表现抗病的占69.23%,其中以携带Pita+Pi5的材料最多(14份),且均表现抗病;携带3个抗稻瘟病基因的材料为31份,表现抗病的占77.42%,以携带Pita+Pid3+Pi5的材料抗性最强;携带4个抗稻瘟病基因的水稻材料22份,表现抗病的占72.73%,携带5个抗病基因的水稻材料未检测到。     

Allele-mining of rice blast resistance genes at AC134922 locus

The AC134922 locus is one of the most rapidly evolving nucleotide binding site-leucine-rich repeat (NBS-LRR) gene family in rice genome. Six rice blast resistance (R) genes have been cloned from this locus and other two resistance candidate genes, Pi34 and Pi47, are also mapped to this complex locus. Therefore, it seems that more functional R genes could be identified from this locus. In this study, we cloned 22 genes from 12 cultivars based on allele-mining strategy at this locus and identified 6 rice blast R genes with 4 of them recognizing more than one isolates. Our result suggests that gene stacking might be the evolutionary strategy for complex gene locus to interact with rapidly evolving pathogens, which might provide a potential way for the cloning of durable resistance genes. Moreover, the mosaic structure and ambiguous ortholog/paralog relationships of these homologous genes, caused by frequent recombination and gene conversion, indicate that multiple alleles of this complex locus may serve as a reservoir for the evolutionary novelty of these R genes.     

Sequence variation at the rice blast resistance gene Pi-km locus: Implications for the development of allele specific markers

The recently cloned blast resistance (R) gene Pi-km protects rice crops against specific races of the fungal pathogen Magnaporthe oryzae in a gene-for-gene manner. The use of blast R genes remains the most cost-effective method for an integrated disease management strategy. To facilitate rice breeding we developed a Pi-km specific DNA marker. For this purpose, we initially explored the existing sequence diversity for alleles of the two genes responsible for the Pi-km specificity. The analysis of 15 rice cultivars revealed that the majority of nucleotide polymorphisms were associated with the Pi-km1 gene. Interestingly, the correspondent amino acid variation was localized within the predicted coiled-coil domain of the putative Pi-km1 protein. In contrast, the sequence of Pi-km2 alleles was highly conserved even within distantly related cultivars. Furthermore, disease reactions of the selected cultivars to five M. oryzae isolates, as well as their determined Pi-km1 allele, showed a good correlation with the known Pi-k genes (-k/-kh/-km/-ks/-kp) historically reported for these cultivars. Based on these findings, specific primer sets have been designed to discriminate among the various Pi-km alleles. The new markers should simplify the introgression of the valuable blast resistance associated with the complex Pi-k locus into rice cultivars.     

Combination Patterns of Major R Genes Determine the Level of Resistance to the M. oryzae in Rice (Oryza sativa L.)

Rice blast caused by Magnaporthe oryzae is the most devastating disease of rice and poses a serious threat to world food security. In this study, the distribution and effectiveness of 18 R genes in 277 accessions were investigated based on pathogenicity assays and molecular markers. The results showed that most of the accessions exhibited some degree of resistance (resistance frequency, RF >50%). Accordingly, most of the accessions were observed to harbor two or more R genes, and the number of R genes harbored in accessions was significantly positively correlated with RF. Some R genes were demonstrated to be specifically distributed in the genomes of rice sub-species, such as Pigm, Pi9, Pi5 and Pi1, which were only detected in indica-type accessions, and Pik and Piz, which were just harbored in japonica-type accessions. By analyzing the relationship between R genes and RF using a multiple stepwise regression model, the R genes Pid3, Pi5, Pi9, Pi54, Pigm and Pit were found to show the main effects against M. oryzae in indica-type accessions, while Pita, Pb1, Pik, Pizt and Pia were indicated to exhibit the main effects against M. oryzae in japonica-type accessions. Principal component analysis (PCA) and cluster analysis revealed that combination patterns of major R genes were the main factors determining the resistance of rice varieties to M. oryzae, such as ‘Pi9+Pi54’, ‘Pid3+Pigm’, ‘Pi5+Pid3+Pigm’, ‘Pi5+Pi54+Pid3+Pigm’, ‘Pi5+Pid3’ and ‘Pi5+Pit+Pid3’ in indica-type accessions and ‘Pik+Pib’, ‘Pik+Pita’, ‘Pik+Pb1’, ‘Pizt+Pia’ and ‘Pizt+Pita’ in japonica-type accessions, which were able to confer effective resistance against M. oryzae. The above results provide good theoretical support for the rational utilization of combinations of major R genes in developing rice cultivars with broad-spectrum resistance.     

Genome‐wide association study identifies an NLR gene that confers partial resistance to Magnaporthe oryzae in rice

Because of the frequent breakdown of major resistance (R) genes, identification of new partial R genes against rice blast disease is an important goal of rice breeding. In this study, we used a core collection of the Rice Diversity Panel II (C‐RDP‐II), which contains 584 rice accessions and are genotyped with 700 000 single‐nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) markers. The C‐RDP‐II accessions were inoculated with three blast strains collected from different rice‐growing regions in China. Genome‐wide association study identified 27 loci associated with rice blast resistance (LABRs). Among them, 22 LABRs were not associated with any known blast R genes or QTLs. Interestingly, a nucleotide‐binding site leucine‐rich repeat (NLR) gene cluster exists in the LABR12 region on chromosome 4. One of the NLR genes is highly conserved in multiple partially resistant rice cultivars, and its expression is significantly up‐regulated at the early stages of rice blast infection. Knockout of this gene via CRISPR‐Cas9 in transgenic plants partially reduced blast resistance to four blast strains. The identification of this new non‐strain specific partial R gene, tentatively named rice blast Partial Resistance gene 1 (PiPR1), provides genetic material that will be useful for understanding the partial resistance mechanism and for breeding durably resistant cultivars against blast disease of rice.     

A Pid3 allele from rice cultivar Gumei2 confers resistance to Magnaporthe oryzae

Rice blast, caused by Magnaporthe oryzae, is one of the most devastating diseases. Using map-based strategy and in silico approach we isolated a new rice (Oryza sativa L.) blast resistance allele of Pid3, designated Pi25, from a stable blast resistance cultivar Gumei2. Overexpression analysis and complementation test showed that Pi25 conferred blast resistance to M. oryzae isolate js001-20. Sequence analysis showed that Pi25 was an intronless gene of 2772 nucleotides with single nucleotide substitution in comparison to Pid3 at the nucleotide position 459 and predicatively encoded a typical coiled coil-nucleotide binding site-leucine rich repeat (CC--NBS--LRR) protein of 924 amino acid residuals with 100% identity to Pid3 putative protein. The susceptible allele pi25 in Nipponbare contained a nonsense mutation at the nucleotide position 2209 resulting in a truncated protein with 736 amino acid residuals. In addition, 14 nucleotide substitutions resulting in 10 amino acid substitutions were identified between Pi25 and pi25 upstream the premature stop codon in the susceptible allele. Although the mechanism of Pi25/Pid3-mediated resistance needs to be further investigated, the isolation of the allele would facilitate the utilization of Pi25/Pid3 in rice blast resistance breeding program via transgenic approach and marker assisted selection.     

Marker-assisted breeding of Chinese elite rice cultivar 9311 for disease resistance to rice blast and bacterial blight and tolerance to submergence

Rice (Oryza sativa L.) is the staple food crop for more than half of the world’s population. The development of hybrid rice is a practical approach to increase rice production. However, rice production was frequently affected by biotic and abiotic stresses. Rice blast and bacterial blight are two major diseases in rice growing regions. Rice plantation is also frequently affected by short-term submergence or seasonal floods in wet seasons and drought in dry seasons. The utilization of natural disease resistance (R) genes and stress tolerance genes in rice breeding is the most economic and efficient way to combat or adapt to these biotic and abiotic stresses. Rice cultivar 9311 is widely planted rice variety, either as inbred rice or the paternal line of two-line hybrid rice. Here, we report the pyramiding of rice blast R gene Pi9, bacterial blight R genes Xa21 and Xa27, and submergence tolerance gene Sub1A in 9311 genetic background through backcrossing and marker-assisted selection. The improved rice line, designated as 49311, theoretically possesses 99.2% genetic background of 9311. 49311 and its hybrid rice, GZ63S/49311, conferred disease resistance to rice blast and bacterial blight and showed tolerance to submergence for over 18 days without significant loss of viability. 49311 and its hybrids had similar agronomic traits and grain quality to 9311 and the control hybrid rice, respectively. The development of 49311 provides an improved paternal line for two-line hybrid rice production with disease resistance to rice blast and bacterial blight and tolerance to submergence.     

Rice blast resistance gene Pikahei-1(t), a member of a resistance gene cluster on chromosome 4, encodes a nucleotide-binding site and leucine-rich repeat protein

Pikahei-1(t) is the strongest quantitative trait locus (QTL) for blast resistance in upland rice cv. Kahei, which has strong field resistance to the rice blast disease. A high-quality bacterial artificial chromosome library was used to fine-map Pikahei-1(t) within ~300 kb on the 31-Mb region on rice chromosome 4. Of the 42 predicted open reading frames, seven resistance gene analogs (RGAs) with the nucleotide-binding site and leucine-rich repeat (NBS-LRR) domain were identified. Among these, RGA1, 2, 3, 5, and 7, but not RGA4 and 6, were found to be expressed in Kahei and monogenic lines containing Pikahei-1(t). Blast inoculation of transgenic rice lines carrying the genomic fragment of each RGA revealed that only RGA3 was associated with blast resistance. On the basis of these results, we concluded that RGA3 is the Pikahei-1(t) and named it Pi63. Pi63 encoded a typical coiled-coil-NBS-LRR protein and showed isolate-specificity. These results suggest that Pi63 behaves like a typical Resistance (R) gene, and the strong and broad-spectrum resistance of Kahei is dependent on natural pyramiding of multiple QTLs. The blast resistance levels of Pi63 were closely correlated with its gene expression levels, indicating a dose-dependent response of Pi63 function in rice resistance. Pi63 is the first cloned R gene in the R gene cluster on rice chromosome 4, and its cloning might facilitate genomic dissection of this cluster region.     

云南疣粒野生稻稻瘟病抗性

野生稻(Oryza rufipogo)保存有许多栽培稻(O. sativa)不具备或已经消失的优异基因资源, 是扩大栽培稻遗传背景、改良产量与品质、提高抗病虫害及抗逆境能力的重要基因库。疣粒野生稻(O. meyeriana)是中国3种野生稻资源之一, 主要分布在云南。为进一步了解其稻瘟病抗性, 首先利用来自不同稻作区的稻瘟病菌株, 通过注射接种法对疣粒野生稻进行系统的稻瘟病抗性鉴定, 发现疣粒野生稻对接种的所有稻瘟病菌株都感病。进一步采用3'/5' RACE方法, 从疣粒野生稻中克隆了水稻同源基因Pid2和Pid3, 并构建过表达转基因株系对基因功能进行了研究。结果表明, Pid2和Pid3与疣粒野生稻中同源基因间在DNA和氨基酸水平上有较大的序列差异, 过表达转基因的日本晴植株对稻瘟病菌的敏感性与对照相似。推测疣粒野生稻在自然接种条件下, 表现出的抗稻瘟病表型很可能是其旱生叶片结构特征形成了对稻瘟病菌侵染的天然屏障。对控制疣粒野生稻这一类性状基因资源的挖掘和利用, 有利于优良抗性水稻品种的培育。研究结果为疣粒野生稻的研究利用提供了新信息和新思路。     

Development and validation of functional marker targeting an InDel in the major rice blast disease resistance gene Pi54 (Pik h )

Rice blast is one of the most devastating diseases affecting the rice crop throughout the world. In molecular breeding for host plant resistance, functional markers are very useful for enhancing the precision and accuracy in marker-assisted selection (MAS) of target gene(s) with minimum effort, time and cost. Pi54 (which was earlier known as Pik ^h ) is one of the major blast resistance genes and has been observed to show resistance against many isolates of the blast pathogen in India. The gene has been cloned through map-based strategy and encodes a nucleotide-binding site?Cleucine-rich repeat (NBS?CLRR) domain-containing protein. In the present study, we carried out allele mining for this gene and identified a 144-bp insertion/deletion (InDel) polymorphism in the exonic region of the gene. A PCR-based co-dominant molecular marker targeting this InDel, named Pi54 MAS, was developed. Pi54 MAS was observed to perfectly co-segregate with blast resistance in a mapping population with no recombinants. Validation of this marker in 105 genotypes which are either susceptible or resistant to rice blast disease showed that the marker is polymorphic in most of the resistant?Csusceptible genotype combinations and is more accurate than the earlier reported markers for Pi54. Hence this functional, co-dominant marker is suggested for routine deployment in MAS of Pi54 in breeding programs.     

Genetic characterization and fine mapping of the blast resistance locus Pigm(t) tightly linked to Pi2 and Pi9 in a broad-spectrum resistant Chinese variety

The identification and utilization of broad-spectrum resistance genes have been proven the most effective and economical approach to control rice blast disease. To understand the molecular mechanism of broad-spectrum resistance to rice blast, we conducted genetic and fine mapping analysis of the blast resistance gene in a Chinese rice variety: Gumei 4 (GM4) identified with broad-spectrum resistance and used in rice breeding for blast resistance for more than 20 years. Genetic and mapping analysis indicated that blast resistance to nine isolates of different Chinese races in GM4 was controlled by the same dominant locus designated as Pigm(t) that was finely mapped to an approximately 70-kb interval between markers C5483 and C0428 on chromosome 6, which contains five candidate NBS--LRR disease resistance genes. The allelism test showed that Pigm(t) was either tightly linked or allelic to Pi2 and Pi9, two known blast resistance genes. Mapping information also indicated that another blast resistance gene Pi26(t) might also be located at the same region. Candidate genes were identified by sequence analysis of the Nipponbare and Pi9 locus and the corresponding region in GM4. Sequence divergence of candidate genes was observed between GM4 and model varieties Nipponbare and 9311, and Pi9. Our current study provides essential information and new genetic resource for the cloning of functional resistance gene(s) and for marker-assisted selection in rice breeding for broad-spectrum blast resistance.Yiwen Deng and Xudong Zhu contributed equally to this work.     

Gene interactions and genetics of blast resistance and yield attributes in rice (Oryza sativa L.)

Blast disease caused by the pathogen Pyricularia oryzae is a serious threat to rice production. Six generations viz., P₁, P₂, F₁, F₂, B₁ and B₂ of a cross between blast susceptible high-yielding rice cultivar ADT 43 and resistant near isogenic line (NIL) CT13432-3R, carrying four blast resistance genes Pi1, Pi2, Pi33 and Pi54 in combination were used to study the nature and magnitude of gene action for disease resistance and yield attributes. The epistatic interaction model was found adequate to explain the gene action in most of the traits. The interaction was complementary for number of productive tillers, economic yield, lesion number, infected leaf area and potential disease incidence but duplicate epistasis was observed for the remaining traits. Among the genotypes tested under epiphytotic conditions, gene pyramided lines were highly resistant to blast compared to individuals with single genes indicating that the nonallelic genes have a complementary effect when present together. The information on genetics of various contributing traits of resistance will further aid plant breeders in choosing appropriate breeding strategy for blast resistance and yield enhancement in rice.     

Sequence variation of avirulence gene AVR-Pita1 in rice blast fungus, Magnaporthe oryzae

The interaction between rice, Oryza sativa, and rice blast fungus, Magnaporthe oryzae, is triggered by an interaction between the protein products of the host resistant gene, and the pathogen avirulence gene. This interaction follows the ‘gene-for-gene' concept. The resistant gene has effectively protected rice plants from rice blast infection. However, the resistant genes usually break down several years after the release of the resistant rice varieties because the fungus has evolved to new races. The objective of this study is to investigate the nucleotide sequence variation of the AVR-Pita1 gene that influences the adaption of rice blast fungus to overcome the resistant gene, Pi-ta. Thirty rice blast fungus isolates were collected in 2005 and 2010 from infected rice plants in northern and northeastern Thailand. The nucleotide sequences of AVR-Pita1 were amplified and analyzed. Phylogenetic analysis was conducted using the MEGA 5.0 program. The results showed a high level of nucleotide sequence polymorphisms and the positive genetic selection pressure in Thai rice blast isolates. The details of sequence variation analysis were described in this article. The information from this study can be used for rice blast resistant breeding program in the future.     

Direct and tunable modulation of protein levels in rice and wheat with a synthetic small molecule

Direct control of protein level enables rapid and efficient analyses of gene functions in crops. Previously, we developed the RDDK‐Shield1 (Shld1) system in the model plant Arabidopsis thaliana for direct modulation of protein stabilization using a synthetic small molecule. However, it was unclear whether this system is applicable to economically important crops. In this study, we show that the RDDK‐Shld1 system enables rapid and tunable control of protein levels in rice and wheat. Accumulation of RDDK fusion proteins can be reversibly and spatio‐temporally controlled by the synthetic small‐molecule Shld1. Moreover, RDDK‐Bar and RDDK‐Pid3 fusions confer herbicide and rice blast resistance, respectively, in a Shld1‐dependent manner. Therefore, the RDDK‐Shld1 system provides a reversible and tunable technique for controlling protein functions and conditional expression of transgenes in crops.