BackgroundStripe rust, a highly destructive foliar disease of wheat (Triticum aestivum), causes severe losses, which may be accompanied by reduced photosynthetic activity and accelerated leaf senescence.MethodsWe used suppression subtractive hybridization (SSH) to examine the mechanisms of resistance in the resistant wheat line L693 (Reg. No. GP-972, PI 672538), which was derived from a lineage that includes a wide cross between common and Thinopyrum intermedium. Sequencing of an SSH cDNA library identified 112 expressed sequence tags.ResultsIn silico mapping placed one of these tags [GenBank: JK972238] on chromosome 1A. Primers based on [GenBank: JK972238] amplified a polymorphic band, which co-segregated with YrL693. We cloned a candidate gene encoding wheat copper-binding protein (WCBP1) by amplifying the polymorphic region, and we mapped WCBP1 to a 0.64 cM genetic interval. Brachypodium, rice, and sorghum have genes and genomic regions syntenic to this region.DiscussionSequence analysis suggested that the resistant WCBP1 allele might have resulted from a deletion of 36-bp sequence of the wheat genomic sequence, rather than direct transfer from Th. intermedium. qRT-PCR confirmed that WCBP1 expression changes in response to pathogen infection.ConclusionsThe unique chromosomal location and expression mode of WCBP1 suggested that WCBP1 is the putative candidate gene of YrL693, which was involved in leaf senescence and photosynthesis related to plant responses to stripe rust infection during the grain-filling stage.Electronic supplementary materialThe online version of this article (doi:10.1186/s12870-015-0612-4) contains supplementary material, which is available to authorized users.

As one of the three macronutrients, potassium participates in many physiological processes in plant life cycle. Recently, potassium-dependent transcriptome analysis has been reported in Arabidopsis, rice and soybean. Alligator weed is well known, particularly for its strong ability to accumulate potassium. However, the molecular mechanism that underlies potassium starvation responses has not yet been described. In this study, we used Illumina (Solexa) sequencing technology to analyse the root transcriptome information of alligator weed under low potassium stress. Further analysis suggested that 9253 differentially expressed genes (DEGs) were upregulated, and 2138 DEGs were downregulated after seven days of potassium deficiency. These factors included 121 transcription factors, 108 kinases, 136 transporters and 178 genes that were related to stress. Twelve transcription factors were randomly selected for further analysis. The expression level of each transcription factor was confirmed by quantitative RT-PCR, and the results of this secondary analysis were consistent with the results of Solexa sequencing. Enrichment analysis indicated that 10,993 DEGs were assigned to 54 gene ontology terms and 123 KEGG pathways. Approximately 24% of DEGs belong to the metabolic, ribosome and biosynthesis of secondary metabolite KEGG pathways. Our results provide a comprehensive analysis of the gene regulatory network of alligator weed under low potassium stress, and afford a valuable resource for genetic and genomic research on plant potassium deficiency.

DNA methylation maybe involved in the regulation of paclitaxel biosynthesis in Taxus cell culture.