The MLA6 coiled-coil, NBS-LRR protein confers AvrMla6-dependent resistance specificity to Blumeria graminis f. sp. hordei in barley and wheat

The barley Mla locus confers multiple resistance specificities to the obligate fungal biotroph, Blumeria (= Erysiphe) graminis f. sp. hordei. Interspersed within the 240 kb Mla complex are three families of resistance gene homologs (RGHs). Probes from the Mla-RGH1 family were used to identify three classes of cDNAs. The first class is predicted to encode a full-length CC-NBS-LRR protein and the other two classes contain alternatively spliced, truncated variants. Utilizing a cosmid that contains a gene corresponding to the full-length candidate cDNA, two single-cell expression assays were used to demonstrate complementation of AvrMla6-dependent, resistance specificity to B. graminis in barley and wheat. The first of these assays was also used to substantiate previous genetic data that the Mla6 allele requires the signaling pathway component, Rar1, for function. Computational analysis of MLA6 and the Rar1-independent, MLA1 protein reveals 91.2% identity and shows that the LRR domain is subject to diversifying selection. Our findings demonstrate that highly related CC-NBS-LRR proteins encoded by alleles of the Mla locus can dictate similar powdery mildew resistance phenotypes yet still require distinct downstream signaling components.     

Recognition specificity and RAR1/SGT1 dependence in barley Mla disease resistance genes to the powdery mildew fungus

A large number of resistance specificities to the powdery mildew fungus Blumeria graminis f. sp. hordei map to the barley Mla locus. This complex locus harbors multiple members of three distantly related gene families that encode proteins that contain an N-terminal coiled-coil (CC) structure, a central nucleotide binding (NB) site, a Leu-rich repeat (LRR) region, and a C-terminal non-LRR (CT) region. We identified Mla12, which encodes a CC-NB-LRR-CT protein that shares 89 and 92% identical residues with the known proteins MLA1 and MLA6. Slow Mla12-triggered resistance was altered dramatically to a rapid response by overexpression of Mla12. A series of reciprocal domains swaps between MLA1 and MLA6 identified in each protein recognition domain for cognate powdery mildew fungus avirulence genes (AvrMla1 and AvrMla6). These domains were within different but overlapping LRR regions and the CT part. Unexpectedly, MLA chimeras that confer AvrMla6 recognition exhibited markedly different dependence on Rar1, a gene required for the function of some but not all Mla resistance specificities. Furthermore, uncoupling of MLA6-specific function from RAR1 also uncoupled the response from SGT1, a protein known to associate physically with RAR1. Our findings suggest that differences in the degree of RAR1 dependence of different MLA immunity responses are determined by intrinsic properties of MLA variants and place RAR1/SGT1 activity downstream of and/or coincident with the action of resistance protein-containing recognition complexes.     

小麦类Mla基因的分离与特征分析

根据大麦MLa基因的保守区域设计了4对家族性引物.通过用家族性引物对小麦(Triticum aestivum L.)抗白粉病品系TAM104R在接种和未接种两种条件下的基因差异表达进行RT-PCR分析,获得了一个在接种条件下特异表达的基因片段RJ-3-3L,并用RACE方法获得了其cDNA全长,命名为TaMla1.序列比对显示:TaMlal与大麦MLa位点的基因家族成员具有高度同源性,TaMla1编码的氨基酸功能基序扫描表明其为一个CC-NBS-LRR型抗病蛋白.用一套中国春缺-四体材料将TaMla1定位到了小麦的1A染色体上,这正是大麦MLa基因位点在小麦中的同源区段所在的染色体.这些结果表明,TaMla1为一个类MLa抗白粉病基因.同时我们还获得了一个在不接种条件下特异表达的基因片段RW-2-3L,序列分析表明它与MLa基因也高度同源,推测其可能是一个小麦白粉病的敏感基因或抗性负调控因子.     

A resistance gene analog useful for targeting disease resistance genes against different pathogens on group 1S chromosomes of barley,wheat and rye

Comparative sequence analysis of the resistance gene analog (RGA) marker locus aACT/CAA (originally found to be tightly linked to the multiallelic barley Mla cluster) from genomes of barley, wheat and rye revealed a high level of relatedness among one another and showed high similarity to a various number of NBS-LRR disease resistance proteins. Using the sequence-specific polymerase chain reaction (PCR), RGA marker aACT/CAA was mapped on group 1S chromosomes of the Triticeae and was associated with disease resistance loci. In barley and rye, the marker showed linkage to orthologous powdery mildew resistance genes Mla1 and Pm17, respectively, while in wheat linkage with a QTL against fusarium head blight (FHB) disease was determined. The use of RGA clones for R gene mapping and their role in the expression of qualitative and quantitative resistance is discussed.     

小麦类Mla基因的分离与特征分析

根据大麦MLa基因的保守区域设计了4对家族性引物。通过用家族性引物对小麦(Triticum aestivum L.)抗白粉病品系TAM104R在接种和未接种两种条件下的基因差异表达进行RT-PCR分析,获得了一个在接种条件下特异表达的基因片段RJ-3-3L, 并用RACE方法获得了其cDNA全长,命名为TaMla1。序列比对显示: TaMla1与大麦MLa位点的基因家族成员具有高度同源性,TaMla1编码的氨基酸功能基序扫描表明其为一个CC-NBS-LRR型抗病蛋白。用一套中国春缺-四体材料将TaMla1定位到了小麦的1A染色体上,这正是大麦MLa基因位点在小麦中的同源区段所在的染色体。这些结果表明,TaMla1为一个类MLa抗白粉病基因。同时我们还获得了一个在不接种条件下特异表达的基因片段RW-2-3L,序列分析表明它与MLa 基因也高度同源,推测其可能是一个小麦白粉病的敏感基因或抗性负调控因子。     

Powdery Mildew Resistance in Barley Landraces from Morocco

Nineteen barley landraces collected from Morocco were screened for resistance to powdery mildew. The landraces originated from the collection at the Polish Gene Bank, IHAR Radzików, Poland. The fifteen landraces tested showed powdery mildew resistance reactions and 35 single plant lines were selected. Twenty-one of these lines were tested in the seedling stage with 30, four lines with 17 and another 10 lines with 23 differential isolates of powdery mildew, respectively. The isolates were chosen according to their virulence spectra observed on the Pallas isolines differential set. Nine lines (E 1029-1-1, E 1042-2-2, E 1050-1-1, E 1054-5-1, E 1056-2-5, E 1056-3-1, E 1061-1-1, E 1061-1-3 and E 1067-1-2) which originated from seven landraces showed resistance to all prevalent European powdery mildew virulence genes. The most frequent score was 2 and 16 lines showed this reaction for inoculation with most isolates used. The distribution of reaction type indicated that about 77% of all reaction types observed were classified as powdery mildew resistance (scores 0, 1 and 2). In all lines the presence of unknown genes alone or in combinations with specific ones was postulated. Four different resistance alleles ( Mlat , Mla6 , Mla14 and Mla12 ) were postulated to be present in 10 tested lines alone or in combination. Alleles Mlat , Mla6 and Mla14 were postulated to be present in four and Mla12 in two tested lines, respectively. The value of barley landraces for diversification of resistance genes for powdery mildew is discussed.     

RMo1 confers blast resistance in barley and is located within the complex of resistance genes containing Mla, a powdery mildew resistance gene

Isolates of Magnaporthe oryzae (the causal agent of rice blast disease) can infect a range of grass species, including barley. We report that barley Hordeum vulgare cv. Baronesse and an experimental line, BCD47, show a range of resistance reactions to infection with two rice blast isolates. The complete resistance of Baronesse to the isolate Ken 54-20 is controlled by a single dominant gene, designated RMo1. RMo1 mapped to the same linkage map position on chromosome 1H as the powdery mildew resistance locus Mla and an expressed sequence tag (k04320) that corresponds to the barley gene 711N16.16. A resistance quantitative trait locus (QTL), at which Baronesse contributed the resistance allele, to the isolate Ken 53-33 also mapped at the same position as RMo1. Synteny analysis revealed that a corresponding region on rice chromosome 5 includes the bacterial blight resistance gene xa5. These results indicate that a defined region on the short arm of barley chromosome 1H, including RMo1 and Mla, harbors genes conferring qualitative and quantitative resistance to multiple pathogens. The partial resistance of BCD47 to Ken53-33 is determined by alleles at three QTL, two of which coincide with the linkage map positions of the mildew resistance genes mlo and Mlf.     

小麦锌指蛋白基因的克隆、序列与表达分析

根据R基因及其调控基因保守序列设计简并性引物,对白粉菌接种和未接种处理的一对抗病和感病的小麦—黑麦等位突变易位系TAM104R和TAM104S总RNA进行RT-PCR扩增,得到一个诱导表达的cDNA片段。序列分析表明,该片段全长2474bp,其中含有一个822bp的完整开放阅读框,推测其编码一个有273个氨基酸残基、分子量约31kD的蛋白质分子。蛋白质的氨基酸序列比对显示,该蛋白质分子具有C2HC锌结合motif CX2CX4HX4C结构和锌指domain,可见克隆的cDNA是一个锌指蛋白基因,命名为TaZF。Southern杂交表明,TaZF在抗病易位系TAM104R的基因组中是多拷贝的。半定量RT-PCR分析显示,TaZF基因属组成型表达、但受白粉菌诱导表达上调的基因,推测其与白粉病菌的侵染过程相关。基因组DNA专化扩增、克隆和测序揭示TaZF基因无内含子。     

Resistance genes in barley (Hordeum vulgare L.) and their identification with molecular markers

Current information on barley resistance genes available from scientific papers and on-line databases is summarised. The recent literature contains information on 107 major resistance genes (R genes) against fungal pathogens (excluding powdery mildew), pathogenic viruses and aphids identified in Hordeum vulgare accessions. The highest number of resistance genes was identified against Puccinia hordei, Rhynchosporium secalis, and the viruses BaYMV and BaMMV, with 17, 14 and 13 genes respectively. There is still a lot of confusion regarding symbols for R genes against powdery mildew. Among the 23 loci described to date, two regions Mla and Mlo comprise approximately 31 and 25 alleles. Over 50 R genes have already been localised and over 30 mapped on 7 barley chromosomes. Four barley R genes have been cloned recently: Mlo, Rpg1, Mla1 and Mla6, and their structures (sequences) are available. The paper presents a catalogue of barley resistance gene symbols, their chromosomalocation and the list of available DNA markers useful in characterising cultivars and breeding accessions.     

Effect of three suppressors on the expression of powdery mildew resistance genes in barley

Three recessive mutagen-induced alleles that partially suppress the phenotypic expression of the semidominant powdery mildew resistance gene Mla12 have been studied. When each suppressor is present in homozygous condition, the infection type 0, conferred by gene Mla12 when homozygous, is changed to intermediate infection types. The three suppressor lines were crossed with seven near-isogenic lines with different powdery mildew resistance genes and one, M100, was crossed with nine additional lines. Seedlings of parents and from the F1and F2 generations were tested with powdery mildew isolates that possessed the appropriate avirulence and virulence genes. The segregation of phenotypes in the F2 generation disclosed that the three suppressors affected the phenotypic expression of three resistance genes, whereas that of four resistance genes remained unaffected. The suppressor in mutant M100 affected the phenotypic expression of 9 of the 10 additional resistance genes present. It is suggested that the three suppressors are mutationally modified genes involved in host defence processes. This implies that different resistance genes employ different, but overlapping, spectra of defence processes, or signal transduction pathways. Key words : barley, Hordeum vulgare, powdery mildew, Erysiphe graminis hordei, mutation, resistance, suppressor.     

Functional conservation of wheat and rice Mlo orthologs in defense modulation to the powdery mildew fungus

Homologs of barley Mlo are found in syntenic positions in all three genomes of hexaploid bread wheat, Triticum aestivum, and in rice, Oryza sativa. Candidate wheat orthologs, designated TaMlo-A1, TaMlo-B1, and TaMlo-D1, encode three distinct but highly related proteins that are 88% identical to barley MLO and appear to originate from the three diploid ancestral genomes of wheat. TaMlo-B1 and the rice ortholog, OsMlo2, are able to complement powdery mildew-resistant barley mlo mutants at the single-cell level. Overexpression of TaMlo-B1 or barley Mlo leads to super-susceptibility to the appropriate powdery mildew formae speciales in both wild-type barley and wheat. Surprisingly, overexpression of either Mlo or TaMlo-B1 also mediates enhanced fungal development to tested inappropriate formae speciales. These results underline a regulatory role for MLO and its wheat and rice orthologs in a basal defense mechanism that can interfere with forma specialis resistance to powdery mildews.     

Barley Rom1 reveals a potential link between race-specific and nonhost resistance responses to powdery mildew fungi

The Rar1 gene, identified in the context of race-specific powdery mildew resistance mediated by the Hordeum vulgare (barley) resistance (R) gene Mla12, is required for the function of many R-mediated defense responses in mono- and dicotyledonous plant species. Mla resistance is associated with an oxidative burst and a subsequent cell death reaction of attacked cells. Rar1 mutants are impaired in these responses and, to identify genetic elements which negatively regulate the Mla12-triggered response, we have screened mutagenized Mla12 rar1 mutant populations for restoration of the resistance response. Here we describe the restoration of Mla12-specified resistance (rom1) mutant that restores features of disease resistance to a Blumeria graminis f. sp. hordei isolate expressing the avirulence gene AvrMla12 and retains susceptibility to an isolate lacking AvrMla12. Histochemical analyses show that, in rom1 mutant plants, a whole-cell oxidative burst and cell death response in attacked epidermal cells is restored in the incompatible interaction. Defense responses against tested inappropriate powdery mildews, B. graminis f. sp. tritici and Golovinomyces orontii, were diminished in rar1 mutant plants and enhanced in rom1 mutant plants relative to the wild type. These findings indicate antagonistic activities of Rar1 and Rom1 and reveal their contribution to nonhost and race-specific resistance responses.     

大麦抗白粉病基因Mlo的研究进展

野生型Mlo基因是大麦抗白粉病的负调控因子,该基因突变,赋予大麦对白粉菌的广谱抗性。综述了Mlo基因结构、功能及Mlo突变的等位基因(mlo)的抗性特点;讨论了mlo基因可能的抗病机制。为mlo抗性在麦类白粉病抗病育种中的应用提供了理论基础。     

Comparative mapping of homoeologous group 1 regions and genes for resistance to obligate biotrophs in Avena, Hordeum, and Zea mays.

The colinearity of markers linked with resistance loci on linkage group A of diploid oat, on the homoeologous groups in hexaploid oat, on barley chromosome 1H, and on homoeologous maize chromosomes was determined. Thirty-two DNA probes from homoeologous group 1 chromosomes of the Gramineae were tested. Most of the heterologous probes detected polymorphisms that mapped to linkage group A of diploid oat, two linkage groups of hexaploid oat, barley chromosome 1H, and maize chromosomes 3, 6, and 8. Many of these DNA markers appeared to have conserved linkage relationships with resistance and prolamin loci in Avena, Hordeum, and Zea mays. These resistance loci included the Pca crown rust resistance cluster in diploid oat, the R203 crown rust resistance locus in hexaploid oat, the Mla powdery mildew resistance cluster in barley, and the rp3, wsm1, wsm2, mdm1, ht2, and htn1 resistance loci in maize. Prolamin encoding loci included Avn in diploid oat and Hor1 and Hor2 in barley. A high degree of colinearity was revealed among the common RFLP markers on the small chromosome fragments among these homoeologous groups. Key words : disease resistance, colinearity, Gramineae, cereals.     

Functional analysis and RFLP-mediated mapping of the Mlg resistance locus in barley

The semi-dominantly acting allele of the Mlg locus in barley confers a race-specific resistance to the causal agent of powdery mildew, Erysiphe graminis f.sp. hordel . High resolution genetic mapping via RFLP analysis enabled us to identify a set of markers on chromosome 4 which are either tightly linked or co-segregate with the resistance function. Comparison of marker distances in segregating F₂ populations originating from different genotypes revealed an unexpected variation of recombination frequencies in the vicinity of the locus. Based on near-isogenic lines carrying either resistance gene Mlg or Mla12 and a cell-type specific analysis it was demonstrated that Mlg acts at an earlier stage of fungal development than Mla12 . A time-course analysis of the early infection process combined with gene dosage experiments provided strong evidence that attacked cells retain viability after the defence response and that hypersensitive cell death (HR) is a secondary consequence, but not causally required for Mlg -mediated arrest of fungal growth. It is speculated that gene dosage experiments may provide a means to separate primary from secondary defence reactions.     

Putting knowledge of plant disease resistance genes to work.

Plant disease resistance genes trigger defence mechanisms upon recognition of pathogen compatibility factors, which are encoded by avirulence genes. Isolation of the barley powdery mildew resistance gene Mla opens the door to understanding the extensive allelic diversity of this locus. Completion of the Arabidopsis genome sequence enables the analysis of the complete set of R-gene homologues in a flowering plant. A new R gene, RPW8, conferring resistance in Arabidopsis to powdery mildew, reveals a new class of protein associated with pathogen recognition. New prospects for using R-gene polymorphism in agriculture are becoming apparent.     

Allele-specific amplification of polymorphic sites for the detection of powdery mildew resistance loci in cereals

Primers for the polymerase chain reaction (PCR) were tailored to selectively amplify RFLP marker alleles associated with resistance and susceptibility for powdery mildew in cereals. The differentiation between marker alleles for susceptible and resistant genotypes is based on the discrimination of a single nucleotide by using allele-specific oligonucleotides as PCR primers. The PCR assays developed are diagnostic for RFLP alleles at the loci MWG097 in the barley genome and Whs350 in the wheat genome. The first marker locus is closely linked to MlLa resistance in barley, while the latter is linked to Pm2 resistance locus in wheat. PCR analysis of 31 barley and 30 wheat cultivars, with some exceptions, verified the presence or absence of the resistance loci investigated. These rapid PCR-based approaches are proposed as an efficient alternative to conventional procedures for selecting powdery mildew-resistant genotypes in breeding programs.