Components of the gene network associated with genotype-dependent response of wheat to the Fusarium mycotoxin deoxynivalenol

Abstract

The Fusarium mycotoxin deoxynivalenol (DON) facilitates fungal spread within wheat tissue and the development of Fusarium head blight disease. The ability of wheat spikelets to resist DON-induced bleaching is genotype-dependent. In wheat cultivar (cv.) CM82036 DON resistance is associated with a quantitative trait locus, Fhb1, located on the short arm of chromosome 3B. Gene expression profiling (microarray and real-time RT-PCR analyses) of DON-treated spikelets of progeny derived from a cross between cv. CM82036 and the DON-susceptible cv. Remus discriminated ten toxin-responsive transcripts associated with the inheritance of DON resistance and Fhb1. These genes do not exclusively map to Fhb1. Based on the putative function of the ten Fhb1-associated transcripts, we discuss how cascades involving classical metabolite biotransformation and sequestration processes, alleviation of oxidative stress and promotion of cell survival might contribute to the host response and defence against DON.

TaFROG encodes a Pooideae orphan protein that interacts with SnRK1 and enhances resistance to the mycotoxigenic fungus Fusarium graminearum

“…Fusarium species are considered hemibiotrophic, and Audenaert et al (2014) postulated that low levels of DON could facilitate the initial biotrophism, and the subsequent increase in DON production might facilitate the switch to necrotrophism. Wheat may defend itself against the necrotrophic phase by counteracting oxidative stress and inducing cell death (Walter et al, 2010), a theory supported by the positive association between the activity of genes involved in the alleviation of oxidative stress and the inheritance of DON/FHB resistance QTL Fhb1 (Walter et al, 2008). QTL Fhb1 is also associated with the detoxification of DON to DON-3-O-glucoside (Lemmens et al, 2005).…”

“…The absence of DNA contamination was confirmed by PCR primers targeting the endogenous gene Triticum aestivum glyceraldehyde-3-phosphate dehydrogenase (primer sets listed in Supplemental Table S1). Reverse transcription of total RNA was performed as described previously (Walter et al, 2008).…”

Deoxynivalenol Biosynthesis-Related Gene Expression During Wheat Kernel Colonization by Fusarium graminearum

“…A relevant subset of time points was additionally examined in Wheaten treated with azoxystrobin, and in the resistant cultivar 'Alsen'. Alsen possesses the quantitative trait locus FHB1, which is associated with resistance to Fusarium head blight and, specifically, to the effects of DON (45). Furthermore, representative kernels were sampled to evaluate the relationship between Tri5 expression levels and DON quantity.…”

Deoxynivalenol resistance as a component of FHB resistance

“…Ongoing studies are trying to delineate other orphan genes involved in wheat resistance to disease, including FHB disease. Genes associated with DON resistance and the DON response Walter et al 2008Walter et al , 2015Jia et al 2009;Schweiger et al 2013bSchweiger et al , 2016. The genes linked to Fhb1 are involved in numerous defence responses in plants, including pathogenesisrelated (PR) proteins, the synthesis of antimicrobial compounds, antioxidative stress responses, DON detoxification, cell morphogenesis and cell wall fortification (Walter and Doohan 2011;Foroud et al 2012;Schweiger et al 2016).…”

“…The genes linked to Fhb1 are involved in numerous defence responses in plants, including pathogenesisrelated (PR) proteins, the synthesis of antimicrobial compounds, antioxidative stress responses, DON detoxification, cell morphogenesis and cell wall fortification (Walter and Doohan 2011;Foroud et al 2012;Schweiger et al 2016). Walter et al (2008) investigated the transcriptomic response to DON of a double haploid population that segregated for both QTL Fhb1 and the toxin resistance phenotype (DON induced bleaching). Based on this analysis, they identified genes associated with the DON resistance phenotype at the transcriptional level, including those encoding the aforementioned TaABCC3.1 ABC transporter, and those coding for cytochrome P450 enzyme homologs (CYP450s), an AAA + family ATPase, a zinc binding alcohol dehydrogenase-1, a mitochondrial phosphate transporter and an uridine diphosphate-glucosyltransferase (UGT).…”