Molecular cloning of a new receptor-like kinase gene encoded at the Lr10 disease resistance locus of wheat

More than 100 resistance genes against wheat rust pathogens have been described in wheat and its relatives. Although many of them have been extensively used in wheat resistance breeding, none of these resistance loci has yet been analyzed at the molecular level. By screening a set of near-isogenic lines carrying different leaf rust resistance genes with a wheat probe encoding a serine/threonine protein kinase, we detected a polymorphic DNA fragment in the line with the Lr10 resistance gene. This fragment mapped to the Lr10 disease resistance locus and encodes a receptor-like protein kinase which we called LRK10. LRK10 contains a new type of extracellular domain not found in known plant or animal receptor kinases. Several conserved amino acids in S-domain glycoproteins and receptor-like kinases were also found in LRK10, suggesting that LRK10 and S-domain proteins belong to the same superfamily of specific recognition molecules in plants. Lrk10 was expressed at low levels in young seedlings and belongs to a gene family. Analysis of wheat lines with and without the Lr10 gene demonstrated that Lrk10 and Lr10 belong to the same genetic locus. We conclude that gene isolation based on protein kinase homology can identify new receptor domains and provide candidates for disease resistance genes in the complex wheat genome.     

普通小麦中一个类受体激酶基因的克隆、鉴定和表达分析

为研究抗白粉病小麦（Triticum aestivum L．）品系在小麦白粉病菌（Blumeria graminis f. sp．tritici）侵染后有无LRK10同源基因表达,依据小麦蛋白激酶LRK10和其它植物蛋白激酶第6亚结构域设计了一个5’-RACE兼并性引物。以接种小麦白粉病菌后的小麦抗白粉病品系“99—2439”幼苗叶片cDNA为模板进行5’-RACE扩增,获得了一个1551bp长的蛋白激酶基因cDNA片段（S1125,GenBank登录号：AY584533）。此后,通过RACE技术成功地获得了该基因的全长cDNA克隆。该克隆编码637个氨基酸组成的多肽。同源性查寻表明,该基因属于先前命名为wfrk（wheat leaf rust kinase）的小麦类受体蛋白激酶基因家族。与LRK10相似,这个新的小麦类受体蛋白激酶有5个明显的功能域：位于氨基端的疏水信号序列、推测的胞外结构域、跨膜域、高荷电序列和位于羧基端的丝氨酸／苏氨酸激酶域,因此被命名为TaLRK（Triticum aestivum LRK）。以小麦肌动蛋白基因为对照,通过半定量反转录PCR（semi—QRT—PCR）技术对叶片中TaLRK基因在小麦白粉病菌接种后的转录水平表达谱进行了研究。结果表明,小麦白粉病菌的侵染使TaLRK基因的转录显著增强。组织特异性表达分析证明,这一基因仅在小麦的绿色部分表达。研究结果提示TaLRK可能参与了小麦的抗白粉病反应。     

Expansion of the receptor-like kinase/Pelle gene family and receptor-like proteins in Arabidopsis

Receptor-like kinases (RLKs) are a family of transmembrane proteins with versatile N-terminal extracellular domains and C-terminal intracellular kinases. They control a wide range of physiological responses in plants and belong to one of the largest gene families in the Arabidopsis genome with more than 600 members. Interestingly, this gene family constitutes 60% of all kinases in Arabidopsis and accounts for nearly all transmembrane kinases in Arabidopsis. Analysis of four fungal, six metazoan, and two Plasmodium sp. genomes indicates that the family was represented in all but fungal genomes, indicating an ancient origin for the family with a more recent expansion only in the plant lineages. The RLK/Pelle family can be divided into several subfamilies based on three independent criteria: the phylogeny based on kinase domain sequences, the extracellular domain identities, and intron locations and phases. A large number of receptor-like proteins (RLPs) resembling the extracellular domains of RLKs are also found in the Arabidopsis genome. However, not all RLK subfamilies have corresponding RLPs. Several RLK/Pelle subfamilies have undergone differential expansions. More than 33% of the RLK/Pelle members are found in tandem clusters, substantially higher than the genome average. In addition, 470 of the RLK/Pelle family members are located within the segmentally duplicated regions in the Arabidopsis genome and 268 of them have a close relative in the corresponding regions. Therefore, tandem duplications and segmental/whole-genome duplications represent two of the major mechanisms for the expansion of the RLK/Pelle family in Arabidopsis.     

A lectin receptor-like kinase is required for pollen development in Arabidopsis

Lectin receptor-like kinases (Lectin RLKs) are a large family of receptor-like kinases with an extracellular legume lectin-like domain. There are approximately 45 such receptor kinases in Arabidopsis thaliana. Surprisingly, although receptor-like kinases in general are well investigated in Arabidopsis, relatively little is known about the functions of members of the Lectin RLK family. A number of studies implicated members of this family in various functions, such as disease resistance, stress responses, hormone signaling, and legume-rhizobium symbiosis. Our current work demonstrated that mutation in one Lectin RLK gene led to male sterility in Arabidopsis. The sterility was due to defects in pollen development. Pollen development proceeded normally in the mutant until anther stage 8. After that, all pollen grains deformed and collapsed. Mature pollen grains were much smaller than wild-type pollen grains, glued together, and totally collapsed. Therefore, the mutant was named sgc, standing for small, glued-together, and collapsed pollen mutant. The mutant phenotype appeared to be caused by an unidentified sporophytic defect due to the mutation. As revealed by analysis of the promoter-GUS transgenic plants and the gene expression analysis using RT-PCR, the gene showed an interesting temporal and spatial expression pattern: it had no or a low expression in young flowers (roughly before anther stage 6), reached a maximum level around stages 6-7, and then declined gradually to a very low level in young siliques. No expression was detected in microspores or pollen. Together, our data demonstrated that SGC Lectin RLK plays a critical role in pollen development.     

NBS-LRR sequence family is associated with leaf and stripe rust resistance on the end of homoeologous chromosome group 1S of wheat

A detailed RFLP map was constructed of the distal end of the short arm of chromosome 1D of Aegilops tauschii and wheat. At least two unrelated resistance-gene analogs (RGAs) mapped close to known leaf rust resistance genes (Lr21 and Lr40) located distal to seed storage protein genes on chromosome 1DS. One of the two RGA clones, which was previously shown to be part of a candidate gene for stripe rust resistance (Yr10) located within the homoeologous region on 1BS, identified at least three gene family members on chromosome 1DS of Ae. tauschii. One of the gene members co-segregated with the leaf rust resistance genes, Lr21 and Lr40, in Ae. tauschii and wheat segregating families. Hence, a RGA clone derived from a candidate gene for stripe rust resistance located on chromosome 1BS detected candidate genes for leaf rust resistance located in the corresponding region on 1DS of wheat. Received: 10 January 2000 / Accepted: 25 March 2000     

Resistance gene analogs within an introgressed chromosomal segment derived from Triticum ventricosum that confers resistance to nematode and rust pathogens in wheat

A resistance (R) gene-rich 2S chromosomal segment from Triticum ventricosum contains a cereal cyst nematode (CCN; Heterodera avenae) R gene locus CreX and a closely linked group of genes (Sr38, Yr17, and Lr37) that confer resistance to stem rust (Puccinia graminis f. sp. tritici), stripe rust (P. striiformis f. sp. tritici), and leaf rust (P. recondita f. sp. tritici) when introgressed into wheat. The 2S chromosomal segment from T. ventricosum is further delineated in translocations onto chromosome 2A of bread wheat, where the rust genes are retained but not the CreX gene. Using these critical genetic stocks, we have isolated family members of R gene analogs that are associated with either the 2S segment from T. ventricosum carrying the CreX locus or the rust genes. Derivatives of the Cre3 candidate R gene sequence and a rice (Oryza sativa) R gene analog that mapped to the 2S homologous chromosome groups in wheat were used to isolate related gene sequences from T. ventricosum that contain a nucleotide binding site-leucine rich repeat domain. The potential of these gene sequences as entry points for isolating candidate genes or gene family members of the CreX or rust genes and their further applications to plant breeding are discussed.     

The RLK/Pelle family of kinases

The RLK/Pelle class of proteins kinases is composed of over 600 members in Arabidopsis. Many of the proteins in this family are receptor-like kinases (RLK), while others have lost their extracellular domains and are found as cytoplasmic kinases. Proteins in this family that are RLKs have a variety of extracellular domains that drive function in a large number of processes, from cell wall interactions to disease resistance to developmental control. This review will briefly cover the major subclasses of RLK/Pelle proteins and their roles. In addition, two specific groups on RLKs will be discussed in detail, relating recent findings in Arabidopsis and how well these conclusions have been able to be translated to agronomically important species. Finally, some details on kinase activity and signal transduction will be addressed, along with the mystery of RLK/Pelle members lacking kinase enzymatic activity.     

Comparative analysis of the receptor-like kinase family in Arabidopsis and rice

Receptor-like kinases (RLKs) belong to the large RLK/Pelle gene family, and it is known that the Arabidopsis thaliana genome contains >600 such members, which play important roles in plant growth, development, and defense responses. Surprisingly, we found that rice (Oryza sativa) has nearly twice as many RLK/Pelle members as Arabidopsis does, and it is not simply a consequence of a larger predicted gene number in rice. From the inferred phylogeny of all Arabidopsis and rice RLK/Pelle members, we estimated that the common ancestor of Arabidopsis and rice had >440 RLK/Pelles and that large-scale expansions of certain RLK/Pelle members and fusions of novel domains have occurred in both the Arabidopsis and rice lineages since their divergence. In addition, the extracellular domains have higher nonsynonymous substitution rates than the intracellular domains, consistent with the role of extracellular domains in sensing diverse signals. The lineage-specific expansions in Arabidopsis can be attributed to both tandem and large-scale duplications, whereas tandem duplication seems to be the major mechanism for recent expansions in rice. Interestingly, although the RLKs that are involved in development seem to have rarely been duplicated after the Arabidopsis-rice split, those that are involved in defense/disease resistance apparently have undergone many duplication events. These findings led us to hypothesize that most of the recent expansions of the RLK/Pelle family have involved defense/resistance-related genes.     

Identification of genes encoding receptor-like protein kinases as possible targets of pathogen- and salicylic acid-induced WRKY DNA-binding proteins in Arabidopsis

To understand how plant host genes are regulated during the activation of plant defence responses, we are studying a group of pathogen- and salicylic acid (SA)-induced DNA-binding proteins containing the novel WRKY domain. To identify downstream target genes of these WRKY proteins, we have searched the Arabidopsis genome and identified four closely linked genes on chromosome IV that contain an unusually large number of the W-box sequences [(T)TGAC(C/T)] recognized by WRKY proteins within a few hundred base pairs upstream of their coding regions. All four genes encode proteins characteristic of receptor-like protein kinases (RLK), each consisting of an N-terminal signal sequence, an extracellular receptor domain, a single transmembrane domain and a C-terminal cytoplasmic serine/threonine protein kinase domain. All four RLK genes were induced by treatment with SA or infection by a bacterial pathogen. Studies with one of the RLK genes (RLK4) indicated that a cluster of W-box elements in its promoter region were recognized by both purified WRKY proteins and SA-induced W-box binding activities from SA-treated Arabidopsis plants. Further analysis using the RLK4 gene promoter fused to a reporter gene in transgenic Arabidopsis indicated that the consensus WRKY protein-binding sites in the RLK4 gene promoter were important for the inducible expression of the reporter gene. These results indicate that pathogen- and SA-induced W-box binding proteins regulate not only genes encoding defence proteins with direct or indirect anti-microbial activities, but also genes encoding proteins with regulatory functions.     

Positively Selected Sites in the Arabidopsis Receptor-Like Kinase Gene Family

We analyze members of the receptor-like kinase (RLK) gene family in Arabidopsis thaliana for positive selection. Likelihood analyses find evidence for positive selection in 12 of the 52 RLK family sequences groups. These 12 groups represent 97 of the 403 sequences analyzed. The majority of genes in groups subject to positive selection have not been functionally characterized, but sites under selection are predominantly located in the extracellular region. The pattern of selection in the extracellular leucine-rich repeat (LRR) motif of groups 14 and 51 is similar to previous studies where positively selected positions are located in a solvent exposed β-strand that may determine disease specificity, raising the possibility that some RLK genes function in a similar role.[Reviewing Editor: Rasmus Nielsen]     

Homoeologous set of NBS-LRR genes located at leaf and stripe rust resistance loci on short arms of chromosome 1 of wheat

Homoeologous group 1 chromosomes of wheat contain important genes that confer resistance to leaf, stem and stripe rusts, powdery mildew and Russian wheat aphid. A disease resistance gene analog encoding nucleotide binding site-leucine rich repeat (NBS-LRR), designated RgaYr10, was previously identified at the stripe rust resistant locus, Yr10, located on chromosome 1BS distal to the storage protein, Gli-B1 locus. RgaYr10 identified gene members in the homoeologous region of chromosome 1DS cosegregating with the leaf rust resistance gene, Lr21, which originally was transferred from a diploid D genome progenitor. Four RgaYr10 gene members were isolated from chromosome 1DS and compared to two gene members previously isolated from the chromosome 1BS homeologue. NBS-LRR genes tightly linked to stripe rust resistance gene Yr10 on chromosome 1BS were closely related in sequence and structure to NBS-LRR genes tightly linked to leaf rust resistance gene Lr21 located within the homoeologous region on chromosome 1DS. The level of sequence homology was similar between NBS-LRR genes that were isolated from different genomes as compared to genes from the same genome. Electronic Publication     

The introgressed segment carrying rust resistance genes Yr17, Lr37 and Sr38 in wheat can be assayed by a cloned disease resistance gene-like sequence

A cloned gene sequence (Vrga1D), with features of the nucleotide-binding-site leucine-rich repeat class of disease resistance (R) gene sequence super family, was previously shown to belong to a family of five gene members derived from a Triticum ventricosum Ces. (syn. Aegilops ventricosa Tausch) segment in wheat (Triticum aestivum L.). This gene family was introgressed, together with the linked rust resistance genes Yr17, Lr37 and Sr38 from T. ventricosum, to wheat chromosome 2AS. An independently derived T. ventricosum segment carrying a leaf rust resistance gene in a French wheat cultivar, was shown to exhibit a rust resistance response equivalent to Lr37 as well as Yr17 and Sr38. DNA probes from different regions of the Vrga1D clone consistently detected the presence of RFLPs associated with the introgressed segment carrying the resistance genes Yr17, Lr37 and Sr38 present in diverse wheat genotypes from Australia, Canada, France and the UK. Our results showed that the transfer of the T. ventricosum- derived Vrga1 gene members and the rust resistance genes were always accompanied by the loss of a corresponding set of Vrga1-related gene members in recipient wheat cultivars presumed to be of homoeoallelic origin. A PCR assay, based on sequences from the 3"-untranslated region of a Vrga1 gene member isolated from the T. ventricosum donor line of the introgressed segment, was developed. The PCR assay detected the presence of the introgressed rust resistance genes across the diverse wheat backgrounds and should be useful in marker- assisted selection in wheat breeding. Received: 24 December 1999 / Accepted: 13 June 2000     

Receptor-like protein kinase genes of Arabidopsis thaliana

The isolation of a maize cDNA clone that encodes a membrane spanning protein kinase related to the self-incompatibility glycoproteins (SLG) of Brassica and structurally similar to the growth factor receptor tyrosine kinases has recently been reported. Three distinct receptor-like protein kinase (RLK) cDNA clones from Arabidopsis thaliana have now been identified. Two of the Arabidopsis RLK genes encode SLG-related protein kinases but have different patterns of expression: one is expressed predominantly in rosettes while the other is expressed primarily in roots. The third RLK gene contains an extracellular domain that consists of 21 leucine-rich repeats that are analogous to the leucine-rich repeats found in proteins from humans, flies and yeast. The Arabidopsis leucine-rich gene is expressed at equivalent levels in roots and rosettes. These results show that there are several genes in higher plants that encode members of the receptor protein kinase superfamily. The structural diversity and differential expression of these genes suggest that each plays a distinct and possibly important role in cellular signaling in plants.     

转录因子基因TuGTγ-3参与乌拉尔图小麦对条锈病的抗性

小麦条锈病是由条形柄锈菌小麦专化型(Puccinia striiformis West. f. sp. tritici Eriks.＆Henn., Pst)引起的一种严重的真菌病害,发掘新的抗条锈病相关基因对于小麦抗病育种和抗病机理研究都具有重要意义。Trihelix是植物特有的转录因子家族,参与调控生长发育、形态建成、胁迫应答等过程。迄今,小麦属Trihelix家族与抗条锈病相关的研究尚未见报道。本研究从乌拉尔图小麦(Triticum urartu Tum., 2n=2x=14, AA)中克隆了Trihelix家族GTγ亚家族中的一个基因,命名为TuGTγ-3。序列分析表明,TuGTγ-3基因具有完整的开放阅读框(ORF),编码序列(CDS)全长1329 bp,编码442个氨基酸,推测其编码蛋白的分子量为50.31 kDa,理论等电点为6.12。生物信息学预测TuGTγ-3蛋白有一个单分型核定位信号(GLPMQKKMRYT),没有信号肽和跨膜结构域。TuGTγ-3蛋白的保守trihelix结构域的氨基酸序列位置为Q115~R187,第四α-螺旋位置为F234~Y241,CC结构域的位置为K362~K436。二级结构分析显示,TuGTγ-3蛋白由43.89%的α-螺旋、9.51%的伸展链、9.95%的β-转角和36.65%的不规则卷曲构成。利用普通小麦的基因组数据库BLAST分析表明,TuGTγ-3被定位于5A染色体长臂上。瞬时表达实验显示,TuGTγ-3蛋白主要定位在细胞核中,但细胞质中也有少量分布。表达谱分析表明,TuGTγ-3基因在叶片中的表达量显著高于根和叶鞘,且受小麦条锈菌小种CYR32的诱导而强烈上调表达。进一步通过大麦条纹花叶病毒诱导的基因沉默(BSMV-VIGS)实验证明,转录因子TuGTγ-3正向调控了乌拉尔图小麦对条锈病的抗性。     

Genetic studies of leaf and stem rust resistance in six accessions of Triticum turgidum var. dicoccoides.

Six accessions of Triticum turgidum var. dicoccoides L. (4x, AABB) of diverse origin were tested with 10 races of leaf rust (Puccinia recondita f.sp. tritici Rob. ex Desm.) and 10 races of stem rust (P. graminis f.sp. tritici Eriks. &Henn.). Their infection type patterns were all different from those of lines carrying the Lr or Sr genes on the A or B genome chromosomes with the same races. The unique reaction patterns are probably controlled by genes for leaf rust or stem rust resistance that have not been previously identified. The six dicoccoides accessions were crossed with leaf rust susceptible RL6089 durum wheat and stem rust susceptible 'Kubanka' durum wheat to determine the inheritance of resistance. They were also crossed in diallel to see whether they carried common genes. Seedlings of F1, F2, and BC1F2 generations from the crosses of the dicoccoides accessions with RL6089 were tested with leaf rust race 15 and those from the crosses with 'Kubanka' were tested with stem rust race 15B-1. The F2 populations from the diallel crosses were tested with both races. The data from the crosses with the susceptible durum wheats showed that resistance to leaf rust race 15 and stem rust race 15B-1 in each of the six dicoccoides accessions is conferred by a single dominant or partially dominant gene. In the diallel crosses, the dominance of resistance appeared to be affected by different genetic backgrounds. With one exception, the accessions carry different resistance genes: CI7181 and PI 197483 carry a common gene for resistance to leaf rust race 15. Thus, wild emmer wheat has considerable genetic diversity for rust resistance and is a promising source of new rust resistance genes for cultivated wheats.     

山东省12个主栽小麦品种(系)抗叶锈性分析

本研究旨在明确山东省12个小麦主栽品种(系)抗叶锈性及抗叶锈基因,为小麦品种推广与合理布局、叶锈病防治及抗病育种提供依据。利用2015年采自山东省的5个小麦叶锈菌流行小种的混合小种对这些材料进行苗期抗性鉴定,然后选用15个小麦叶锈菌生理小种对这些品种(系)进行苗期基因推导,并利用与24个小麦抗叶锈基因紧密连锁(或共分离)的30个分子标记对其进行抗叶锈基因分子检测。结果显示,山东省12个主栽小麦品种(系)苗期对该省2015年的5个小麦叶锈菌混合流行小种均表现高度感病。通过基因推导与分子检测发现,济南17含有Lr16,矮抗58和山农20含有Lr26,其余济麦系列、烟农系列、良星系列等9个品种(系)均未检测到所供试标记片段。此外,本研究还对山东省3个非主栽品种进行了检测,结果发现,中麦175含有抗叶锈基因Lr1和Lr37,含有成株抗性基因;皖麦38只检测到Lr26,济麦20未检测到所供试标记片段。综合以上结果,山东省主栽小麦品种(系)所含抗叶锈基因丰富度较低,尤其不含有对我国小麦叶锈菌流行小种有效的抗锈基因,应该引起高度重视,今后育种工作应注重引入其他抗叶锈基因,提高抗叶锈性。     

Molecular markers for leaf rust resistance genes in wheat

Over 100 genes of resistance to rust fungi: Puccinia recondita f. sp. tritici, (47 Lr - leaf rust genes), P. striiformis (18 Yr - yellow rust genes) and P. graminis f. sp. tritici (41 Sr - stripe rust genes) have been identified in wheat (Triticum aestivum L.) and its wild relatives according to recent papers. Sixteen Lr resistance genes have been mapped using restriction fragments length polymorphism (RFLP) markers on wheat chromosomes. More than ten Lr genes can be identified in breeding materials by sequence tagged site (STS) specific markers. Gene Lrk 10, closely linked to gene Lr 10, has been cloned and its function recognized. Available markers are presented in this review. The STS, cleaved amplified polymorphic sequence (CAPS) and sequence characterized amplified regions (SCAR) markers found in the literature should be verified using Triticum spp. with different genetic background. Simple sequence repeats (SSR) markers for Lr resistance genes are now also available.