Promoter studies of chemically induced BCI-genes in the pathosystem barley - powdery mildew

Abstract

Chemical resistance inducers like BTH (S-methyl benzo (1,2,3)-thiadiazole-7-carbothiate) and DCINA (2,6-dichloro isonicotinic acid) activate resistance in barley against powdery mildew (Blumeria graminis f.sp. hordei). Nine BTH induced genes (Bci, barley chemically induced) have been identified in barley (BESSER et al. 2000) which are not responsive to pathogens in contrast to PR-proteins. From two Bci-genes (Bci3: similar to vsp, Bci4: Ca<sup>2+</sup>-binding EF-hand protein), the promoters were isolated. In transient transformation assays using promoter::GFP and promoter::GUS-constructs the functionality of these chemically induced promoters were studied. To identify the minimal promoter and regions with regulatory elements 5’-deletion constructs were used. Additionally, gel mobility shift assays were performed.