SolRgene: an online database to explore disease resistance genes in tuber-bearing Solanum species

Abstract

BackgroundThe cultivated potato (Solanum tuberosum L.) is an important food crop, but highly susceptible to many pathogens. The major threat to potato production is the Irish famine pathogen Phytophthora infestans, which causes the devastating late blight disease. Potato breeding makes use of germplasm from wild relatives (wild germplasm) to introduce resistances into cultivated potato. The Solanum section Petota comprises tuber-bearing species that are potential donors of new disease resistance genes. The aim of this study was to explore Solanum section Petota for resistance genes and generate a widely accessible resource that is useful for studying and implementing disease resistance in potato.DescriptionThe SolRgene database contains data on resistance to P. infestans and presence of R genes and R gene homologues in Solanum section Petota. We have explored Solanum section Petota for resistance to late blight in high throughput disease tests under various laboratory conditions and in field trials. From resistant wild germplasm, segregating populations were generated and assessed for the presence of resistance genes. All these data have been entered into the SolRgene database. To facilitate genetic and resistance gene evolution studies, phylogenetic data of the entire SolRgene collection are included, as well as a tool for generating phylogenetic trees of selected groups of germplasm. Data from resistance gene allele-mining studies are incorporated, which enables detection of R gene homologs in related germplasm. Using these resources, various resistance genes have been detected and some of these have been cloned, whereas others are in the cloning pipeline. All this information is stored in the online SolRgene database, which allows users to query resistance data, sequences, passport data of the accessions, and phylogenic classifications.ConclusionSolanum section Petota forms the basis of the SolRgene database, which contains a collection of resistance data of an unprecedented size and precision. Complemented with R gene sequence data and phylogenetic tools, SolRgene can be considered the primary resource for information on R genes from potato and wild tuber-bearing relatives.

Solanum venturii, a suitable model system for virus-induced gene silencing studies in potato reveals StMKK6 as an important player in plant immunity

“…As S. tuberosum cultivars tested in our experiments were not responsive to TRV-based VIGS, we have therefore decided to find a set of VIGS susceptible wild potato relatives that could serve as model plants for studies of potato genes. We have tested 73 different clones representing 34 different species of wild potato relatives (Additional file 3 ), from which all were already tested for resistance/susceptibility to P. infestans [ 19 ]. Decision to include several clones of the same species was based on observed different resistance level against P. infestans .…”

“…Decision to include several clones of the same species was based on observed different resistance level against P. infestans . An online phylogenetic analysis to illustrate the relation between S. tuberosum and wild potato relatives was conducted within SolRgene [ 19 ] with clones that are available in database (Fig. 1 ).…”

“…As these are the closest relatives to cultivated potato, they would serve as a good model system with best possible data translation to cultivated potato cultivars. Large database was already constructed with information on phylogeny [ 18 ] and Phytophthora infestans resistance in wild potato relatives [ 19 ], but no information exist on resistance or susceptibility of these species to viruses.…”

Host-Pathogen Wars: New Weapons from Biotechnology and Genomics

“…Effector proteins have been a useful tool for the identification of candidate resistance genes as they act as molecular markers [25] [27]. Avr genes have corresponding R-genes that when activated in the plants can trigger immune responses.…”

“…Avr genes have corresponding R-genes that when activated in the plants can trigger immune responses. As such, effectors can be used to track their R-gene complements in many plant species and provide information about their functionality [25] [27]. Although there is an extensive database available of effector genes [28] [29], there will be many yet to be discovered as pathogens evolve quickly.…”