Transgressive segregation reveals two Arabidopsis TIR-NB-LRR resistance genes effective against Leptosphaeria maculans, causal agent of blackleg disease

In a cross between the two resistant accessions Col-0 and Ler-0, a 15:1 segregation was found in F2, suggesting the presence of unlinked resistance loci to Leptosphaeria maculans. One hundred Col-4 x Ler-0, and 50 Ler-2 x Cvi-1 recombinant inbred lines, and seven susceptible Ler-0 x Ws-0 F2 progenies were examined to identify the two loci. Resistance in Col-4, Ws-0 and Cvi-1 (RLM1) was mapped to the marker m305 on chromosome 1. Col-4 x Ler-0 and Ler-2 x Cvi-1 mapping populations located RLM2(Ler) on the same arm of chromosome 4. A tight physical location of RLM2 was established through near-isogenic lines. This region was found to correspond to an ancient duplication event between the RLM1 and RLM2 loci. Two independent T-DNA mutants in a TIR-NB-LRR R gene (At1g64070) displayed susceptibility, and L. maculans susceptible mutant phenotypes were confirmed to be allelic for rlm1 in F1 after crosses with susceptible rlm1(Ler)rlm2(Col) plants. Complementation of rlm1(Ler)rlm2(Col) with the genomic Col-0 sequence of At1g64070 conferred resistance. In addition, two T-DNA mutants in a neighbouring homologous TIR-NB-LRR gene (At1g63880) displayed moderate susceptibility to L. maculans. Sequence analysis revealed that At1g64070 was truncated by a premature stop codon, and that At1g63880 was absent in Ler-0. RNA interference confirmed that Ler-0 resistance is dependent on genes structurally related to RLM1. Camalexin was identified as a quantitative co-dominant resistance factor of Col-0 origin, but independent of RLM1. RLM1/RLM2 resistance was, however, found to require RAR1 and partially HSP90.1.     

NHP6A and NHP6B, which encode HMG1-like proteins, are candidates for downstream components of the yeast SLT2 mitogen-activated protein kinase pathway.

The yeast SLK1 (BCK1) gene encodes a mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK) activator protein which functions upstream in a protein kinase cascade that converges on the MAPK Slt2p (Mpk1p). Dominant alleles of SLK1 have been shown to bypass the conditional lethality of a protein kinase C mutation, pkc1-delta, suggesting that Pkc1p may regulate Slk1p function. Slk1p has an important role in morphogenesis and growth control, and deletions of the SLK1 gene are lethal in a spa2-delta mutant background. To search for genes that interact with the SLK1-SLT2 pathway, a synthetic lethal suppression screen was carried out. Genes which in multiple copies suppress the synthetic lethality of slk1-1 spa2-delta were identified, and one, the NHP6A gene, has been extensively characterized. The NHP6A gene and the closely related NHP6B gene were shown previously to encode HMG1-like chromatin-associated proteins. We demonstrate here that these genes are functionally redundant and that multiple copies of either NHP6A or NHP6B suppress slk1-delta and slt2-delta. Strains from which both NHP6 genes were deleted (nhp6-delta mutants) share many phenotypes with pkc1-delta, slk1-delta, and slt2-delta mutants. nhp6-delta cells display a temperature-sensitive growth defect that is rescued by the addition of 1 M sorbitol to the medium, and they are sensitive to starvation. nhp6-delta strains also exhibit a variety of morphological and cytoskeletal defects. At the restrictive temperature for growth, nhp6-delta mutant cells contain elongated buds and enlarged necks. Many cells have patches of chitin staining on their cell surfaces, and chitin deposition is enhanced at the necks of budded cells. nhp6-delta cells display a defect in actin polarity and often accumulate large actin chunks. Genetic and phenotypic analysis indicates that NHP6A and NHP6B function downstream of SLT2. Our results indicate that the Slt2p MAPK pathway in Saccharomyces cerevisiae may mediate its function in cell growth and morphogenesis, at least in part, through high-mobility group proteins.     

AmoA、AmoE和AmoF蛋白在嗜水气单胞菌铁载体合成中的作用研究

铁载体被认为是嗜水气单胞菌的毒力因子之一, 其由amoCEBFAGH七个基因编码, AmoCGH在前人的研究中已证实参与铁载体的合成。RT-PCR实验表明amoAEF基因的表达受到铁的调控。为进一步探究amoAEF基因的功能, 利用融合PCR和基因同源重组原理, 以自杀性质粒PRE112为载体构建基因缺失株ΔamoA、ΔamoE和ΔamoF。通过CAS平板检测实验以及arnow实验来检测野生株WT与各基因缺失突变株铁载体的合成情况, 并比较野生株与各缺失株在低铁培养基中的生长差异。结果显示, 成功构建了基因缺失株ΔamoA、ΔamoE和ΔamoF; 在富铁条件下, 基因缺失株ΔamoA、ΔamoE和ΔamoF的生长与野生株无显著性差异, 但在低铁条件下, 基因缺失株ΔamoA、ΔamoE和ΔamoF的生长能力、铁载体合成能力显著低于野生株。可见, amoA、amoE和amoF基因是嗜水气单胞菌铁载体合成的关键基因, 其缺失会导致细菌在低铁环境中的生长受到抑制。