Integrative genomic and genetic analysis of nonhost resistance across Triticeae species - TritNONHOST (PPR-CROP)
Lead Research Organisation:
John Innes Centre
Department Name: Crop Genetics
Abstract
Within the natural environment plants are constantly exposed to micro-organisms which have the potential to cause disease. However, each plant species is a host to only a very limited number of pathogens. During evolution the plant and the potential pathogen have undergone an arms race, establishing or avoiding successful infection, which finally resulted in the host-pathogen interactions known today. Plants have further evolved resistance (R) genes to over come certain isolates of these host-pathogens. Traditional plant breeding strategies have used these R-genes to develop resistant crop cultivars. However, after commercial release of the R-gene carrying cultivars the resistance is often rapidly overcome, following the increase in the pathogen populations of novel virulent races, resulting in the loss of the protective effect of the R-genes. On the other hand, most plants are resistant to most pathogens. This phenomenon is referred to as nonhost resistance. However, we know very little about the biological mechanisms operating behind this nonhost resistance. Nonhost resistance therefore presents as a durable form of resistance that the non-adapted pathogen has not evolved to over come. The work in this proposal addresses the biological processes and genetic pathways operating in the plant that are responsible for this nonhost resistance. This work undertakes a global examination of the reprogramming of the gene expression patterns that occur in wheat and barley following inoculation with host and nonhost pathogens. Three economically and ecologically important pathogens are examined that cause the diseases of powdery mildew, rust and blast. The genes and biological pathways involved in host and nonhost resistance in each of the wheat and barley interactions with these pathogens will be identified. Significant genes and pathways responsible for nonhost resistance in each cereal crop will be identified and their function further characterised. The outputs from this project will provide us with a new level of understanding of the biology of nonhost resistance in cereals. This will provide the plant breeding industry with the knowledge and tools required to achieve sustainable resistance to major pathogens. The ultimate aim is to transfer the genetic components of nonhost resistance from one cereal to the other to achieve 'nonhost-like' resistance to the adapted pathogen.
Technical Summary
The scientific aim of this project is to identify and explore the genetic framework for nonhost resistance in wheat and barley to three pathogens of enormous economic and ecological impact causing rust (Puccinia spp.), powdery mildew (Blumaria spp.) and blast (Magnaporthe spp.) disease in cereals. A global, differential gene-expression analysis, comparing compatible host and nonhost interactions will allow the identification of common, plant species-specific and pathogen species-specific pathways involved in nonhost resistance in wheat and barley. Functional genomics approaches will be used to test the function of potential nonhost resistance genes in the corresponding cereal species for resistance to non-adapted as well as adapted pathogens. The functional data will be combined with quantitative genetic data from novel populations segregating for nonhost resistance, in order to provide convergent evidence for a role of candidate genes in nonhost resistance of Triticeae. The outputs from this project will provide us with a new level of understanding of the fundamental inner workings of the biology of nonhost resistance in cereals that will provide the plant breeding industry with the knowledge and tools required to achieve sustainable resistance to major pathogens. The ultimate aim is to transfer the genetic components of nonhost resistance from one cereal to the other to achieve 'nonhost-like' resistance to the adapted pathogen.
Organisations
People |
ORCID iD |
Lesley Boyd (Principal Investigator) |
Publications


Bryant RR
(2014)
A change in temperature modulates defence to yellow (stripe) rust in wheat line UC1041 independently of resistance gene Yr36.
in BMC plant biology



Delventhal R
(2017)
A comparative analysis of nonhost resistance across the two Triticeae crop species wheat and barley.
in BMC plant biology




Description | Plants remain resistant to the majority of potential pathogens, even those that are pathogenic on related species. The potential of this type of 'durable' resistance, referred to as nonhost resistance, has been clearly underexploited in crop plants. The scientific aim of this project was to identify and explore the genetic framework underpinning nonhost resistance in wheat and barley to three fungal pathogens responsible for powdery mildew, leaf rust and blast. A time course analysis of gene expression was undertaken in wheat and barley after inoculation with both host and nonhost isolates of each pathogen. Parallel profiling of gene expression in all 12 host/nonhost interactions was carried out using wheat and barley 44 K Agilent gene arrays. Interaction-specific as well as overlapping core sets of differentially expressed genes have been identified. Genes of interest have been genetically mapped in barley populations segregating for host partial resistance and nonhost resistance, identifying candidate genes for these genetic loci. The function of selected genes, as identified by transient and stable expression/silencing in wheat and barley, has identified potential nonhost resistance genes in both cereals. Microscopic studies were also performed in order to identify the cellular changes involved in nonhost resistance in both wheat and barley, and how they correlate with expression of these nonhost resistance genes. The picture that has emerged from this study is one of common, basal resistance mechanisms operating in host and nonhost resistance, the key differences being due to differential regulation of the plant's defence mechanisms in response to host and nonhost pathogen isolates. Comparative examination of the gene expression profiles is providing a picture of to what extent resistance mechanisms differ between wheat and barley. The outputs from this project provide a new level of understanding of the fundamental inner workings of the biology of nonhost resistance in cereals that will provide the European cereal breeding industries with the knowledge and tools required to achieve sustainable resistance to major pathogens. |
Exploitation Route | The outputs from this program lead to an expansion of the consortium, brining in partners who work on the pathogen causing powdery mildew. This new consortium is now funded by a ERA-CAP project DURESTrit. The outcomes from this research suggest overlap with the resistance mechanisms underlying host, partial and adult plant expressed resistance. This research into 'nonhost' resistance is therefore enabling us to better understand and find more effective alleles for host resistance. |
Sectors | Agriculture Food and Drink |
URL | http://www.niab.com |
Description | Findings have informed other researchers in this and related fields and underpinned further grant funding. |
First Year Of Impact | 2013 |
Sector | Agriculture, Food and Drink |
Impact Types | Societal Economic |
Description | 13ERA-CAP: Functional characterisation and validation of nonhost components in Triticeae species for durable resistance against fungal diseases (DURESTrit) |
Amount | £425,545 (GBP) |
Funding ID | BB/M004929/1 |
Organisation | Biotechnology and Biological Sciences Research Council (BBSRC) |
Sector | Public |
Country | United Kingdom |
Start | 11/2014 |
End | 10/2017 |
Description | Max-imising the potential of CROP researchers |
Amount | € 1,467,958 (EUR) |
Funding ID | 607178 Max-CROP |
Organisation | Marie Sklodowska-Curie Actions |
Sector | Charity/Non Profit |
Country | Global |
Start | 01/2014 |
End | 12/2017 |
Description | Family Fun Day Norfolk Showground |
Form Of Engagement Activity | Participation in an activity, workshop or similar |
Part Of Official Scheme? | Yes |
Geographic Reach | Regional |
Primary Audience | Public/other audiences |
Results and Impact | September 2012: helped with JIC/IFR stand at Norwich Showground in occasion of "Family Fun Day Norfolk Showground". no actual impacts realised to date |
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2012 |
Description | Invited presentation |
Form Of Engagement Activity | A talk or presentation |
Part Of Official Scheme? | Yes |
Geographic Reach | International |
Primary Audience | Other academic audiences (collaborators, peers etc.) |
Results and Impact | Invited talk: Graham McGrann: Profiling a cereal killer: biological and transcriptional defence responses of wheat to non-adapted and adapted species of the blast fungus, Magnaporthe. 4th June 2009, Parco Tecnologico Padano, Italy. Lesley Boyd was invited by Pietro Piffanelli, PTP,Italy to give a talk. Graham McGrann represented on behalf of Lesley Boyd Collaboration established |
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2009 |
Description | Profiling a cereal killer: biological and transcriptional defence responses of wheat to non-adapted and adapted species of the blast fungus, Magnaporthe |
Form Of Engagement Activity | A talk or presentation |
Part Of Official Scheme? | Yes |
Geographic Reach | International |
Primary Audience | Other academic audiences (collaborators, peers etc.) |
Results and Impact | Invited Talk: GM: Profiling a cereal killer: biological and transcriptional defence responses of wheat to non-adapted and adapted species of the blast fungus, Magnaporthe. 3rd December 2009, RWTH-Aachen University, Germany. GM was invited to give a presentation to the University of Aachen while undertaking research work during the TritNONHOST project. no actual impacts realised to date |
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2009 |
Description | Transferring nonhost-(like) resistance between barley and wheat |
Form Of Engagement Activity | Participation in an activity, workshop or similar |
Part Of Official Scheme? | Yes |
Geographic Reach | International |
Primary Audience | Other academic audiences (collaborators, peers etc.) |
Results and Impact | Workshop lead to the formation of a new consortium of researchers and a successful ERA-CAP funded project |
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2012 |
Description | TritNONHOST: Integrative genomic and genetic analysis of nonhost resistance across Triticeae species. |
Form Of Engagement Activity | A talk or presentation |
Part Of Official Scheme? | Yes |
Geographic Reach | International |
Primary Audience | Other academic audiences (collaborators, peers etc.) |
Results and Impact | Graham McGrann: TritNONHOST: Integrative genomic and genetic analysis of nonhost resistance across Triticeae species. European Research Association-Plant Genomics (ERA-PG) Research Programme Status Seminar, Lisbon, Portugal, 5-6 October 2009. Graham McGrann presented the TritNONHOST consortium project at the ERA-PG Kick-Off meeting in Portugal 5-6th October 2009 no actual impacts realised to date |
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2009 |