The Pib gene for rice blast resistance belongs to the nucleotide binding and leucine-rich repeat class of plant disease resistance genes

Rice blast, caused by the fungal pathogen Magnaporthe grisea, is one of the most serious diseases of rice. Here we describe the isolation and characterization of Pib, one of the rice blast resistance genes. The Pib gene was isolated by a map-based cloning strategy. The deduced amino acid sequence of the Pib gene product contains a nucleotide binding site (NBS) and leucine-rich repeats (LRRs); thus, Pib is a member of the NBS-LRR class of plant disease resistance genes. Interestingly, a duplication of the kinase 1a, 2 and 3a motifs of the NBS region was found in the N-terminal half of the Pib protein. In addition, eight cysteine residues are clustered in the middle of the LRRs, a feature which has not been reported for other R genes. Pib gene expression was induced upon altered environmental conditions, such as altered temperatures and darkness.     

Isolation,genetic variation and expression of TIR-NBS-LRR resistance gene analogs from western white pine (<Emphasis Type="Italic">Pinus monticola </Emphasis>Dougl. ex. D. Don.)

Western white pine (Pinus monticola Dougl. ex. D. Don., WWP) shows genetic variation in disease resistance to white pine blister rust (Cronartium ribicola). Most plant disease resistance (R) genes encode proteins that belong to a superfamily with nucleotide-binding site domains (NBS) and C-terminal leucine-rich repeats (LRR). In this work a PCR strategy was used to clone R gene analogs (RGAs) from WWP using oligonucleotide primers based on the conserved sequence motifs in the NBS domain of angiosperm NBS-LRR genes. Sixty-seven NBS sequences were cloned from disease-resistant trees. BLAST searches in GenBank revealed that they shared significant identity to well-characterized R genes from angiosperms, including L and M genes from flax, the tobacco N gene and the soybean gene LM6. Sequence alignments revealed that the RGAs from WWP contained the conserved motifs identified in angiosperm NBS domains, especially those motifs specific for TIR-NBS-LRR proteins. Phylogenic analysis of plant R genes and RGAs indicated that all cloned WWP RGAs can be grouped into one major branch together with well-known R proteins carrying a TIR domain, suggesting they belong to the subfamily of TIR-NBS-LRR genes. In one phylogenic tree, WWP RGAs were further subdivided into fourteen clusters with an amino acid sequence identity threshold of 75%. cDNA cloning and RT-PCR analysis with gene-specific primers demonstrated that members of 10 of the 14 RGA classes were expressed in foliage tissues, suggesting that a large and diverse NBS-LRR gene family may be functional in conifers. These results provide evidence for the hypothesis that conifer RGAs share a common origin with R genes from angiosperms, and some of them may play important roles in defense mechanisms that confer disease resistance in western white pine. Ratios of non-synonymous to synonymous nucleotide substitutions (Ka/Ks) in the WWP NBS domains were greater than 1 or close to 1, indicating that diversifying selection and/or neutral selection operate on the NBS domains of the WWP RGA family.Communicated by R. Hagemann     

云南悬钩子蔷薇NBS LRR类抗病基因同源克隆与分析

为研究云南野生蔷薇属中的NBS类抗病基因,根据已知抗病基因NBS LRR序列中的保守区域设计简并引物,利用RT PCR技术从云南悬钩子蔷薇中进行体外扩增,获得了对应区域的cDNA片段,回收、克隆这些特异片段,测序分析,共得到4个含有NBS LRR保守结构域的抗病基因同源序列(RGAs),分别命名为AC9、AC39、AC50和AC68。它们与已报道的11个NBS类抗病基因相应区段的氨基酸序列相似性为5.4%~79.2%,其中这4个RGAs片段与Mi、RPS2、Pib和RPM1基因聚为一类。表明这4条RGAs序列可进一步用作悬钩子蔷薇抗病候选基因的分子筛选及遗传图谱的构建。     

云南悬钩子蔷薇NBS-LRR类抗病基因同源克隆与分析

为研究云南野生蔷薇属中的NBS类抗病基因,根据已知抗病基因NBSLRR序列中的保守区域设计简并引物,利用RTPCR技术从云南悬钩子蔷薇中进行体外扩增,获得了对应区域的cDNA片段,回收、克隆这些特异片段,测序分析,共得到4个含有NBSLRR保守结构域的抗病基因同源序列（RGAs）,分别命名为AC9、AC39、AC50和AC68。它们与已报道的11个NBS类抗病基因相应区段的氨基酸序列相似性为5.4%~79.2%,其中这4个RGAs片段与Mi、RPS2、Pib和RPM1基因聚为一类。表明这4条RGAs序列可进一步用作悬钩子蔷薇抗病候选基因的分子筛选及遗传图谱的构建。     

Survey of resistance gene analogs in <Emphasis Type="Italic">Solanum caripense</Emphasis>, a relative of potato and tomato,and update on <Emphasis Type="Italic">R</Emphasis> gene genealogy

The resistance (R) proteins of the TIR- and non-TIR (or CC-) superfamilies possess a nucleotide binding site (NBS) domain. Within an R gene, the NBS is the region of highest conservation, suggesting an essential role in triggering R protein activity. We compared the NBS domain of functional R genes and resistance gene analogs (RGA) amplified from S. caripense genomic DNA via PCR using specific and degenerate primers with its counterpart from other plants. An overall high degree of sequence conservation was apparent throughout the P-loop, kinase-2 and kinase-3a motifs of NBS fragments from all plants. Within the non-TIR class of R genes a prominent sub-class similar to the potato R1 gene conferring resistance to late blight, was detected. All non-TIR-R1-like R gene fragments that were sequenced possessed an intact open reading frame, whereas 22% of all non-TIR-non-R1-like fragments and 59% of all TIR-NBS RGA fragments had an interrupted reading frame or contained transposon-specific sequence. The non-TIR-R1-like fragments had high similarity to Solanaceae R genes and low similarity to RGAs of other plant species including A. thaliana and the cereals. It is concluded that appearance of the non-TIR-R1-like NBS domain represents a relatively recent evolutionary development. Electronic supplementary material Supplementary material is available in the online version of this article at and is accessible for authorized users.     

Pervasive purifying selection characterizes the evolution of I2 homologs

We sampled 384 sequences related to the Solanum pimpinellifolium (=Lycopersicon pimpinellifolium) disease resistance (R) gene 12 from six species, potato, S. demissum, tomato, eggplant, pepper, and tobacco. These species represent increasing phylogenetic distance from potato to tobacco, within the family Solanaceae. Using sequence data from the nucleotide binding site (NBS) region of this gene, we tested models of gene family evolution and inferred patterns of selection acting on the NBS gene region and I2 gene family. We find that the I2 family has diversified within the family Solanaceae for at least 14 million years and evolves through a slow birth-and-death process requiring approximately 12 million years to homogenize gene copies within a species. Analyses of selection resolved a general pattern of strong purifying selection acting on individual codon positions within the NBS and on NBS lineages through time. Surprisingly, we find nine codon positions strongly affected by positive selection and six pairs of codon positions demonstrating correlated amino acid substitutions. Evolutionary analyses serve as bioinformatic tools with which to sort through the vast R gene diversity in plants and find candidates for new resistance specificities or to identify specific amino acid positions important for biochemical function. The slow birth-and-death evolution of I2 genes suggests that some NBS-leucine rich repeat-mediated resistances may not be overcome rapidly by virulence evolution and that the natural diversity of R genes is a potentially valuable source for durable resistance.     

A novel gene family in moss (Physcomitrella patens) shows sequence homology and a phylogenetic relationship with the TIR-NBS class of plant disease resistance genes

Plant disease resistance (R) genes encode proteins in which several motifs of the nucleotide-binding region (NBS) are highly conserved. Using degenerate primers designed according to the kinase 1 (P-loop) and hydrophobic (HD) motifs of the R gene NBS domains, homologous sequences were cloned from moss (Physcomitrella patens; phylum Bryophyta) representing an ancient nonvascular plant. A novel gene family (PpC) with at least eight homologous members was found. Expression of five members was detected. The level of expression was dependent on the developmental stage of moss, being higher in the gametophyte tissue than in the protonema tissue. The PpCs contained the conserved motifs characteristic of the NBS regions of R genes, and a kinase domain was found upstream from the NBS region. Phylogenetic analysis using the deduced NBS amino acid sequences of the PpCs and the plant genes available in databanks indicated that the PpCs show the closest relationship with the TIR-NBS class of R genes. No significant similarity to plant genes other than R genes was observed. These findings shed novel light on the evolutionary history of the R gene families, suggesting that the NBS region characteristic of the TIR-NBS class of R-like genes evolved prior to the evolutionary differentiation of vascular and nonvascular plants.     

Characterization of disease resistance gene candidates of the nucleotide binding site (NBS) type from banana and correlation of a transcriptional polymorphism with resistance to <Emphasis Type="Italic">Fusarium oxysporum</Emphasis> f.sp. <Emphasis Type="Italic">cubense</Emphasis> race 4

Most plant disease resistance (R) genes encode proteins with a nucleotide binding site and leucine-rich repeat structure (NBS-LRR). In this study, degenerate primers were used to amplify genomic NBS-type sequences from wild banana (Musa acuminata ssp. malaccensis) plants resistant to the fungal pathogen Fusarium oxysporum formae specialis (f. sp.) cubense (FOC) race 4. Five different classes of NBS-type sequences were identified and designated as resistance gene candidates (RGCs). The deduced amino acid sequences of the RGCs revealed the presence of motifs characteristic of the majority of known plant NBS-LRR resistance genes. Structural and phylogenetic analyses grouped the banana RGCs within the non-TIR (homology to Toll/interleukin-1 receptors) subclass of NBS sequences. Southern hybridization showed that each banana RGC is present in low copy number. The expression of the RGCs was assessed by RT-PCR in leaf and root tissues of plants resistant or susceptible to FOC race 4. RGC1, 3 and 5 showed a constitutive expression profile in both resistant and susceptible plants whereas no expression was detected for RGC4. Interestingly, RGC2 expression was found to be associated only to FOC race 4 resistant lines. This finding could assist in the identification of a FOC race 4 resistance gene.     

A candidate for Lr19, an exotic gene conditioning leaf rust resistance in wheat

Lr19, one of the few widely effective genes conferring resistance to leaf rust in wheat, was transferred from the wild relative Thinopyrum ponticum to durum wheat. Since Lr19 confers a hypersensitive response to the pathogen, it was considered likely that the gene would be a member of the major nucleotide-binding site (NBS)-leucine-rich repeat (LRR) plant R gene family. NBS profiling, based on PCR amplification of conserved NBS motifs, was applied to durum wheat–Th. ponticum recombinant lines involving different segments of the alien 7AgL chromosome arm, carrying or lacking Lr19. Differential PCR products were isolated and sequenced. From one such sequence (AG15), tightly linked to Lr19, a 4,121-bp full-length cDNA was obtained. Its deduced 1,258 amino acid sequence has the characteristic NBS-LRR domains of plant R gene products and includes a coiled-coil (CC) region typical of monocots. The genomic DNA sequence showed the presence of two exons and a short intron upstream of the predicted stop codon. Homology searches revealed considerable identity of AG15 with the cloned wheat resistance gene Pm3a and a lower similarity with wheat Lr1, Lr21, and Lr10. Quantitative PCR on leaf-rust-infected and non-infected Lr19 carriers proved AG15 to be constitutively expressed, as is common for R genes. Electronic supplementary material  The online version of this article (doi:) contains supplementary material, which is available to authorized users.     

A genomic analysis of disease-resistance genes encoding nucleotide binding sites in Sorghum bicolor

A large set of candidate nucleotide-binding site (NBS)-encoding genes related to disease resistance was identified in the sorghum (Sorghum bicolor) genome. These resistance (R) genes were characterized based on their structural diversity, physical chromosomal location and phylogenetic relationships. Based on their N-terminal motifs and leucine-rich repeats (LRR), 50 non-regular NBS genes and 224 regular NBS genes were identified in 274 candidate NBS genes. The regular NBS genes were classified into ten types: CNL, CN, CNLX, CNX, CNXL, CXN, NX, N, NL and NLX. The vast majority (97%) of NBS genes occurred in gene clusters, indicating extensive gene duplication in the evolution of S. bicolor NBS genes. Analysis of the S. bicolor NBS phylogenetic tree revealed two major clades. Most NBS genes were located at the distal tip of the long arms of the ten sorghum chromosomes, a pattern significantly different from rice and Arabidopsis, the NBS genes of which have a random chromosomal distribution.     

Characterisation and genetic mapping of resistance and defence gene analogs in cocoa (Theobroma cacao L.)

Disease resistance and defence gene analog (RGA/DGA) sequences were isolated in cocoa using a PCR approach with degenerate primers designed from conserved domains of plant resistance and defence genes: the NBS (nucleotide binding site) motif present in a number of resistance genes such as the tobacco N, sub-domains of plant serine/threonine kinases such as the Pto tomato gene, and conserved domains of two defence gene families: pathogenesis-related proteins (PR) of classes 2 and 5. Nucleotide identity between thirty six sequences isolated from cocoa and known resistance or defence genes varied from 58 to 80%. Amino acid sequences translated from corresponding coding sequences produced sequences without stop codons, except for one NBS –like sequence. Most of the RGAs could be mapped on the cocoa genome and three clusters of genes could be observed : NBS-like sequences clustered in two regions located on chromosomes 7 and 10, Pto-like sequences mapped in five genome regions of which one, located on chromosome 4, corresponded to a cluster of five different sequences. PR2-like sequences mapped in two regions located on chromosome 5 and 9 respectively. An enrichment of the genetic map with microsatellite markers allowed us to identify several co-localisations of RGAs, DGAs and QTL for resistance to Phytophthora detected in several progenies, particularly on chromosome 4 where a cluster of Pto-like sequences and 4 QTL for resistance to Phytophthora were observed. Many other serious diseases affect cocoa and the candidate genes, isolated in this study, could be of broader interest in cocoa disease management.     

Isolation, genetic variation and expression of TIR-NBS-LRR resistance gene analogs from western white pine ( Pinus monticola Dougl. ex. D. Don.)

Western white pine ( Pinus monticola Dougl. ex. D. Don., WWP) shows genetic variation in disease resistance to white pine blister rust ( Cronartium ribicola). Most plant disease resistance (R) genes encode proteins that belong to a superfamily with nucleotide-binding site domains (NBS) and C-terminal leucine-rich repeats (LRR). In this work a PCR strategy was used to clone R gene analogs (RGAs) from WWP using oligonucleotide primers based on the conserved sequence motifs in the NBS domain of angiosperm NBS-LRR genes. Sixty-seven NBS sequences were cloned from disease-resistant trees. BLAST searches in GenBank revealed that they shared significant identity to well-characterized R genes from angiosperms, including L and M genes from flax, the tobacco N gene and the soybean gene LM6. Sequence alignments revealed that the RGAs from WWP contained the conserved motifs identified in angiosperm NBS domains, especially those motifs specific for TIR-NBS-LRR proteins. Phylogenic analysis of plant R genes and RGAs indicated that all cloned WWP RGAs can be grouped into one major branch together with well-known R proteins carrying a TIR domain, suggesting they belong to the subfamily of TIR-NBS-LRR genes. In one phylogenic tree, WWP RGAs were further subdivided into fourteen clusters with an amino acid sequence identity threshold of 75%. cDNA cloning and RT-PCR analysis with gene-specific primers demonstrated that members of 10 of the 14 RGA classes were expressed in foliage tissues, suggesting that a large and diverse NBS-LRR gene family may be functional in conifers. These results provide evidence for the hypothesis that conifer RGAs share a common origin with R genes from angiosperms, and some of them may play important roles in defense mechanisms that confer disease resistance in western white pine. Ratios of non-synonymous to synonymous nucleotide substitutions (Ka/Ks) in the WWP NBS domains were greater than 1 or close to 1, indicating that diversifying selection and/or neutral selection operate on the NBS domains of the WWP RGA family.     

云杉NBS-LRR基因的克隆与表达分析

为深入研究NBS-LRR基因在川西云杉(Picea balfouriana)抗落针病过程中的分子作用机制,该研究根据GenBank数据库中其他植物NBS-LRR基因保守序列设计引物,利用RT-PCR技术,克隆云杉NBS-LRR基因全长cDNA序列(PbNBS-LRR),分析该基因及其编码蛋白的相关信息并进行基因表达研究。结果表明:(1)成功获得PbNBS-LRR基因的全长2 616 bp(基因登录号:MK044348),且包含一个2 508 bp的完整阅读框(ORF),共编码836个氨基酸,其氨基酸序列具有NBS-LRR类抗病基因典型的NB-ARC结构域和LRR结构域。(2)云杉PbNBS-LRR与北美云杉(Picea sitchensis)NBS-LRR类抗病蛋白相似性最高,达到98%;分子进化分析进一步表明,PbNBS-LRR与北美云杉NBS-LRR亲缘关系最近,其次为糖松(Pinus lambertiana)和火炬松(Pinus taeda)。(3)qRT-PCR分析表明,NBS-LRR基因在川西云杉、粗枝云杉(Picea asperata)和丽江云杉(Picea likiangensis)的根、树干韧皮部、嫩枝及针叶中均有表达,在川西云杉和粗枝云杉的根部以及丽江云杉的树干韧皮部中表达量最高;在落针病病原菌侵染川西云杉和粗枝云杉的初期(5月)以及丽江云杉的后期(9月),NBS-LRR基因的表达量最高,分别为对照的1.73倍、2.11倍和90.49倍,表明NBS-LRR基因参与了云杉落针病的防御反应。     

The blast resistance gene Pi37 encodes a nucleotide binding site leucine-rich repeat protein and is a member of a resistance gene cluster on rice chromosome 1

The resistance (R) gene Pi37, present in the rice cultivar St. No. 1, was isolated by an in silico map-based cloning procedure. The equivalent genetic region in Nipponbare contains four nucleotide binding site-leucine-rich repeat (NBS-LRR) type loci. These four candidates for Pi37 (Pi37-1, -2, -3, and -4) were amplified separately from St. No. 1 via long-range PCR, and cloned into a binary vector. Each construct was individually transformed into the highly blast susceptible cultivar Q1063. The subsequent complementation analysis revealed Pi37-3 to be the functional gene, while -1, -2, and -4 are probably pseudogenes. Pi37 encodes a 1290 peptide NBS-LRR product, and the presence of substitutions at two sites in the NBS region (V239A and I247M) is associated with the resistance phenotype. Semiquantitative expression analysis showed that in St. No. 1, Pi37 was constitutively expressed and only slightly induced by blast infection. Transient expression experiments indicated that the Pi37 product is restricted to the cytoplasm. Pi37-3 is thought to have evolved recently from -2, which in turn was derived from an ancestral -1 sequence. Pi37-4 is likely the most recently evolved member of the cluster and probably represents a duplication of -3. The four Pi37 paralogs are more closely related to maize rp1 than to any of the currently isolated rice blast R genes Pita, Pib, Pi9, Pi2, Piz-t, and Pi36.