Genetics of disease resistance in Arabidopsis to crop pathogens

Abstract

Arabidopsis is universally resistant as a species to many crop pathogens, including examples from other crucifers such as Albugo candida and Hyaloperonospora parasitica from Brassica oleracea. This species level trait could potentially provide a source of durable disease resistance in crops if examples can be found which are amenable to molecular genetic characterization. Our research has developed from the observation that null mutation in Arabidopsis of a defense regulatory gene EDS1 (enhanced disease susceptibility) is susceptible to isolates of A. candida and H. parasitica from brassica. EDS1 is required by a major structural class of R-genes to confer resistance in Arabidopsis. We have therefore focused on identifying R-genes in Arabidopsis that are responsible for conferring resistance to brassica pathogens.

Molecular mapping of a non-host resistance gene YrpstY1 in barley (Hordeum vulgare L.) for resistance to wheat stripe rust

“…Rodrigues et al (2004) identified two major resistance genes in wheat conferring non‐host resistance to barley stripe rust, which accounted for 76.7% of phenotypic variance for resistance. In addition, a non‐host resistance gene Rac4 cloned from Arabidopsis resistant to Brassica oleracea pathogen albugo candida showed a similar structure to the R‐genes with NBS‐LRR nature (Holub 2002). These studies provided evidence that non‐host resistance may be similar to that of host resistance, which was also confirmed by the present study that a major gene in barley conferred the resistance to wheat stripe rust with hypersensitive response.…”

The genetics of non-host disease resistance in wheat to barley yellow rust

“…In these interactions plant and pathogen responses are seen which are commonly associated with race-specific host resistance, including post-haustorial retardation of the pathogen and death of the invaded plant cell (Niks 1988). In Arabidopsis, a non-host resistance gene (R-gene), Rac4, effective against the Brassica oleracea pathogen Albugo candida, the causal agent of white rust, has been isolated (Holub 2002). The structure of Rac4 is similar to that of host R-genes belonging to the NBS-LRR class of R-genes cloned from a wide range of plant species.…”