(CS-3-3) A soybean protein conferring broad-spectrum resistance regulates expression of receptor-kinases and NLR-type receptor proteins - Lightning Talk
Body of Abstract: Overexpressers of the Glycine maxdisease resistant 1 (GmDR1) gene exhibit broad-spectrum resistances against Fusarium virguliforme, soybean cyst nematode (SCN), spider mites, and soybean aphids in soybean. To understand the molecular basis of broad-spectrum immunity mediated by GmDR1, we investigated the transcriptomes of a strong and a weak GmDR1-overexpressers following treatment with chitin, a pathogen- and pest-associated molecular pattern (PAMP) found in all these four organisms. The strong and weak GmDR1-overexpressers exhibited altered expression of 6,098 and 992 genes, respectively, 12 h following chitin treatment as compared to the control. Only 192 of these genes exhibited over two-fold changes in expression levels in both strong and weak GmDR1-overexpressers as compared to the nontransgenic control line. MapMan analysis of the 192 chitin-responsive genes revealed 64 biotic stress-related genes, of which 53 were induced and 11 repressed as compared to the nontransgenic control. The 53 chitin-induced genes including 27 genes encoding nine receptor kinases, 13 nucleotide-binding leucine-rich repeat (NLR) [11 TIR-NLR (TNLR), two CC-NLR (CNLR)] receptor proteins, seven WRKY transcription factors, four ethylene response factors, and three MYB-like transcription factors. The transcript levels of genes encoding three receptor protein kinases, seven NLR proteins, and one WRKY transcription factor are induced following F. virguliforme- or SCN infection. These results suggest that the integral plasma membrane GmDR1 protein most likely recognizes chitin and activates transcription of genes encoding receptor kinases and NLR-type receptor proteins to mediate broad-spectrum PAMP-triggered immunity (PTI) against pathogens and pests suggesting a putative role of NLR proteins in PTI.