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Zhang W, Forester NT, Moon CD, Maclean PH, Gagic M, Arojju SK, Card SD, Matthew C, Johnson RD, Johnson LJ, Faville MJ, Voisey CR. Epichloë seed transmission efficiency is influenced by plant defense response mechanisms. FRONTIERS IN PLANT SCIENCE 2022; 13:1025698. [PMID: 36340377 PMCID: PMC9635450 DOI: 10.3389/fpls.2022.1025698] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/23/2022] [Accepted: 09/30/2022] [Indexed: 06/16/2023]
Abstract
Asexual Epichloë are endophytic fungi that form mutualistic symbioses with cool-season grasses, conferring to their hosts protection against biotic and abiotic stresses. Symbioses are maintained between grass generations as hyphae are vertically transmitted from parent to progeny plants through seed. However, endophyte transmission to the seed is an imperfect process where not all seeds become infected. The mechanisms underpinning the varying efficiencies of seed transmission are poorly understood. Host gene expression in response to Epichloë sp. LpTG-3 strain AR37 was examined within inflorescence primordia and ovaries of high and low endophyte transmission genotypes within a single population of perennial ryegrass. A genome-wide association study was conducted to identify population-level single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) and associated genes correlated with vertical transmission efficiency. For low transmitters of AR37, upregulation of perennial ryegrass receptor-like kinases and resistance genes, typically associated with phytopathogen detection, comprised the largest group of differentially expressed genes (DEGs) in both inflorescence primordia and ovaries. DEGs involved in signaling and plant defense responses, such as cell wall modification, secondary metabolism, and reactive oxygen activities were also abundant. Transmission-associated SNPs were associated with genes for which gene ontology analysis identified "response to fungus" as the most significantly enriched term. Moreover, endophyte biomass as measured by quantitative PCR of Epichloë non-ribosomal peptide synthetase genes, was significantly lower in reproductive tissues of low-transmission hosts compared to high-transmission hosts. Endophyte seed-transmission efficiency appears to be influenced primarily by plant defense responses which reduce endophyte colonization of host reproductive tissues.
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Affiliation(s)
- Wei Zhang
- Grasslands Research Centre, AgResearch Limited, Palmerston North, New Zealand
- School of Agriculture and Environment, Massey University, Palmerston North, New Zealand
| | - Natasha T. Forester
- Grasslands Research Centre, AgResearch Limited, Palmerston North, New Zealand
| | - Christina D. Moon
- Grasslands Research Centre, AgResearch Limited, Palmerston North, New Zealand
| | - Paul H. Maclean
- Grasslands Research Centre, AgResearch Limited, Palmerston North, New Zealand
| | - Milan Gagic
- Grasslands Research Centre, AgResearch Limited, Palmerston North, New Zealand
| | - Sai Krishna Arojju
- Grasslands Research Centre, AgResearch Limited, Palmerston North, New Zealand
| | - Stuart D. Card
- Grasslands Research Centre, AgResearch Limited, Palmerston North, New Zealand
| | - Cory Matthew
- School of Agriculture and Environment, Massey University, Palmerston North, New Zealand
| | - Richard D. Johnson
- Grasslands Research Centre, AgResearch Limited, Palmerston North, New Zealand
| | - Linda J. Johnson
- Grasslands Research Centre, AgResearch Limited, Palmerston North, New Zealand
| | - Marty J. Faville
- Grasslands Research Centre, AgResearch Limited, Palmerston North, New Zealand
| | - Christine R. Voisey
- Grasslands Research Centre, AgResearch Limited, Palmerston North, New Zealand
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Bojahr J, Nhengiwa O, Krezdorn N, Rotter B, Saal B, Ruge-Wehling B, Struck C, Winter P. Massive analysis of cDNA ends (MACE) reveals a co-segregating candidate gene for LpPg1 stem rust resistance in perennial ryegrass (Lolium perenne). TAG. THEORETICAL AND APPLIED GENETICS. THEORETISCHE UND ANGEWANDTE GENETIK 2016; 129:1915-1932. [PMID: 27435735 DOI: 10.1007/s00122-016-2749-4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/12/2016] [Accepted: 06/25/2016] [Indexed: 06/06/2023]
Abstract
Molecular markers including a potential resistance gene co-segregating with the LpPg1 stem rust resistance locus in perennial ryegrass were identified by massive analysis of cDNA ends (MACE) transcriptome profiling. Stem rust caused by Puccinia graminis subsp. graminicola is a severe fungal disease in the forage crop perennial ryegrass and other grasses. The previously identified LpPg1 locus confers efficient resistance against the pathogen. The aim of this study was to identify candidate genes involved in rust resistance and to use them as a resource for the development of molecular markers for LpPg1. To identify such candidates, bulked segregant analysis was combined with NGS-based massive analysis of cDNA ends (MACE) transcriptome profiling. Total RNA was isolated from bulks of infected and non-infected leaf segments from susceptible and resistant genotypes of a full-sibling mapping population and their respective parental lines and MACE was performed. Bioinformatic analysis detected 330 resistance-specific SNPs in 178 transcripts and 341 transcripts that were exclusively expressed in the resistant bulk. The sequences of many of these transcripts were homologous to genes in distinct regions of chromosomes one and four of the model grass Brachypodium distachyon. Of these, 30 were genetically mapped to a 50.8 cM spanning region surrounding the LpPg1 locus. One candidate NBS-LRR gene co-segregated with the resistance locus. Quantitative analysis of gene expression suggests that LpPg1 mediates an efficient resistance mechanism characterized by early recognition of the pathogen, fast defense signaling and rapid induction of antifungal proteins. We demonstrate here that MACE is a cost-efficient, fast and reliable tool that detects polymorphisms for genetic mapping of candidate resistance genes and simultaneously reveals deep insight into the molecular and genetic base of resistance.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jens Bojahr
- Group Crop Health, Faculty of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences, University of Rostock, Satower Str. 48, 18059, Rostock, Germany.
| | - Ottilia Nhengiwa
- Saatzucht Steinach GmbH & Co KG, Wittelsbacherstrasse 15, 94377, Steinach, Germany
| | - Nicolas Krezdorn
- GenXPro GmbH, Altenhöferallee 3, 60438, Frankfurt am Main, Germany
| | - Björn Rotter
- GenXPro GmbH, Altenhöferallee 3, 60438, Frankfurt am Main, Germany
| | - Bernhard Saal
- Saatzucht Steinach GmbH & Co KG, Wittelsbacherstrasse 15, 94377, Steinach, Germany
| | - Brigitte Ruge-Wehling
- Federal Research Centre for Cultivated Plants, Institute for Breeding Research on Agricultural Crops, Rudolf-Schick-Platz 3a, OT Groß Lüsewitz, 18190, Sanitz, Germany
| | - Christine Struck
- Group Crop Health, Faculty of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences, University of Rostock, Satower Str. 48, 18059, Rostock, Germany
| | - Peter Winter
- GenXPro GmbH, Altenhöferallee 3, 60438, Frankfurt am Main, Germany
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Kopecký D, Studer B. Emerging technologies advancing forage and turf grass genomics. Biotechnol Adv 2013; 32:190-9. [PMID: 24309540 DOI: 10.1016/j.biotechadv.2013.11.010] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/12/2013] [Revised: 11/18/2013] [Accepted: 11/20/2013] [Indexed: 11/20/2022]
Abstract
Grassland is of major importance for agricultural production and provides valuable ecosystem services. Its impact is likely to rise in changing socio-economic and climatic environments. High yielding forage grass species are major components of sustainable grassland production. Understanding the genome structure and function of grassland species provides opportunities to accelerate crop improvement and thus to mitigate the future challenges of increased feed and food demand, scarcity of natural resources such as water and nutrients, and high product qualities. In this review, we will discuss a selection of technological developments that served as main drivers to generate new insights into the structure and function of nuclear genomes. Many of these technologies were originally developed in human or animal science and are now increasingly applied in plant genomics. Our main goal is to highlight the benefits of using these technologies for forage and turf grass genome research, to discuss their potentials and limitations as well as their relevance for future applications.
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Affiliation(s)
- David Kopecký
- Centre of the Region Haná for Biotechnological and Agricultural Research, Institute of Experimental Botany, Šlechtitelů 31, CZ-78371, Olomouc-Holice, Czech Republic
| | - Bruno Studer
- Forage Crop Genetics, Institute of Agricultural Sciences, ETH Zurich, Universitaetsstrasse 2, 8092 Zurich, Switzerland.
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