Function and interaction of the coupled genes responsible for Pik-h encoded rice blast resistance

Chun Zhai; Yu Zhang; Nan Yao; Fei Lin; Zhe Liu; Zhongqiu Dong; Ling Wang; Qinghua Pan

doi:10.1371/journal.pone.0098067

Function and interaction of the coupled genes responsible for Pik-h encoded rice blast resistance

PLoS One. 2014 Jun 4;9(6):e98067. doi: 10.1371/journal.pone.0098067. eCollection 2014.

Authors

Chun Zhai¹, Yu Zhang¹, Nan Yao², Fei Lin¹, Zhe Liu², Zhongqiu Dong¹, Ling Wang¹, Qinghua Pan¹

Affiliations

¹ National Key Laboratory for Conservation and Utilization of Subtropical Agro-bioresources, South China Agricultural University, Guangzhou, China; Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory for Microbe Signals and Crop Disease Control, South China Agricultural University, Guangzhou, China.
² National Key Laboratory of Biocontrol, College of Life Sciences, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou, China.

Abstract

Pik-h, an allele of Pik, confers resistance against the rice blast pathogen Magnaporthe oryzae. Its positional cloning has shown that it comprises a pair of NBS-LRR genes, Pikh-1 and Pikh-2. While Pikh-1 appears to be constitutively transcribed, the transcript abundance of Pikh-2 responds to pathogen challenge. The Pikh-1 CC (coiled coil) domain interacts directly with both AvrPik-h and Pikh-2. Transient expression assays demonstrated that Pikh-2 mediates the initiation of the host defence response. Nucleocytoplasmic partitioning of both Pikh-1 and Pikh-2 is required for their functionalities. In a proposed mechanistic model of Pik-h resistance, it is suggested that Pikh-1 acts as an adaptor between AvrPik-h and Pikh-2, while Pikh-2 transduces the signal to trigger Pik-h-specific resistance.

Publication types

Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

Disease Resistance / genetics*
Disease Resistance / immunology
Genes, Plant / genetics*
Immunity, Innate / genetics
Magnaporthe*
Oryza / genetics*
Oryza / immunology
Plant Diseases / genetics*

Grants and funding

This research was carried out with financial support from the National Natural Science Foundation (U1131003; 30870102;31170247) and the National 973 Project (2011CB1007001). The funders had no role in study design, data collection and analysis, decision to publish, or preparation of the manuscript.