TaWAK6 encoding wall-associated kinase is involved in wheat resistance to leaf rust similar to adult plant resistance

Abstract

In wheat, adult plant resistance (APR) to leaf rust (Puccinia triticina), is effective in restricting pathogen growth and provides durable resistance against a wide range of virulent forms of P. triticina. Despite the importance, there is limited knowledge on the molecular basis of this type of resistance. We isolated and characterized the wall-associated kinase encoding gene in wheat, and assigned it as TaWAK6. Localization of TaWAK6 homeologs in A and B wheat subgenomes was consistent with the presence of the gene's orthologs in T. urartu (AA) and T. dicoccoides (AABB) and with the absence of its orthologs in Aegilops tauschii (DD). Overexpression of TaWAK6 did not change the wheat phenotype, nor did it affect seedling resistance. However, the adult plants overexpressing TaWAK6 showed that important parameters of APR were significantly elevated. Infection types scored on the first (flag), second and third leaves indicated elevated resistance, which significantly correlated with expression of TaWAK6. Analysis of plant-pathogen interactions showed a lower number of uredinia and higher rates of necrosis at the infection sites and this was associated with smaller size of uredinia and a longer latent period. The results indicated a role of TaWAK6 in quantitative partial resistance similar to APR in wheat. It is proposed that TaWAK6, which is a non-arginine-aspartate (non-RD) kinase, represents a novel class of quantitative immune receptors in monocots. OPEN ACCESSCitation: Dmochowska-Boguta M, Kloc Y, Zielezinski A, Werecki P, Nadolska-Orczyk A, Karlowski WM, et al. (2020) TaWAK6 encoding wall-associated kinase is involved in wheat resistance to leaf rust similar to adult plant resistance. PLoS ONE 15(1): e0227713. https://doi.

Genome-Wide Identification, Classification, Characterization, and Expression Analysis of the Wall-Associated Kinase Family during Fruit Development and under Wound Stress in Tomato (Solanum lycopersicum L.)

“…), providing insight that SlWAK-RLKs maybe act as the key RLKs contributing to tomato wound response. WAK-RLK proteins have been reported to be involved in host resistance against various pathogens in plants, including the studies in Arabidopsis [ 55 ], rice [ 56 ], maize [ 16 ], wheat [ 57 ]. Whereas the mechanical wounding caused by harsh natural conditions, immature artificial cultivation techniques, insects chewing, and large herbivores biting will open the way to the invasion by microbial pathogens [ 32 ].…”

Tomato Wall-Associated Kinase SlWak1 Depends on Fls2/Fls3 to Promote Apoplastic Immune Responses to Pseudomonas syringae

“…While some Wak proteins play a vital role in cell expansion and plant development (Lally et al, 2001;Wagner and Kohorn, 2001;Kohorn et al, 2006), others are expressed only in specific organs and differentially regulated by a variety of biotic or abiotic stimuli including pathogen attack (Hou et al, 2005;Li et al, 2009;Brutus et al, 2010;Hu et al, 2014;Zuo et al, 2015;Lou et al, 2019). Wak proteins have been reported to be involved in host resistance against various pathogens in plants, including Arabidopsis (Arabidopsis thaliana; Brutus et al, 2010), a wild species of tobacco (Nicotiana benthamiana; Rosli et al, 2013), rice (Oryza sativa; Li et al, 2009;Hu et al, 2014;Delteil et al, 2016;Harkenrider et al, 2016), maize (Zea mays; Hurni et al, 2015;Zuo et al, 2015;Yang et al, 2019), and wheat (Triticum aestivum; Yang et al, 2014;Saintenac et al, 2018;Dmochowska-Boguta et al, 2020). In one case, the wheat Snn1-encoded Wak protein acts as a susceptibility factor to promote infection of a fungal pathogen Parastagonospora nodorum (Shi et al, 2016).…”

High-resolution mapping ofRym14Hb, a wild relative resistance gene to barley yellow mosaic disease

“…Among the other annotated genes at the Rym14 Hb locus, two are very good candidates. Wall-associated protein kinase-like HORVU.MOREX.r2.6HG0448250 are described resistance genes in plant-bacteria and plant-fungus pathosystems (Li et al 2009(Li et al , 2020Dmochowska-Boguta et al 2020). Their role in plant-virus pathosystems is less clear but it has been suggested that a cell wall-associated protein kinase was involved in the repression of plasmodesmal transport of the Tobacco mosaic virus by phosphorylating its movement protein (Citovsky et al 1993;Waigmann et al 2000).…”