title: Isolation and expression of a host response gene family encoding thaumatin-like proteins in incompatible oat-stem rust fungus interactions.
abstract: Four cDNA clones (corresponding to tlp-1, -2, -3, and -4 genes) encoding thaumatin-like (TL), pathogenesis-related proteins were isolated from oat (Avena sativa) infected by an incompatible isolate Pga-1H of the oat stem rust fungus (Puccinia graminis f. sp. avenae). All four cDNA clones contained an open reading frame predicted to encode a 169-amino acid polypeptide with a signal peptide of 21 amino acids at the N-terminus, suggesting that these proteins are transported through a secretory pathway. The amino acid sequences revealed high homology among the four cDNA clones, 80 to 99% identity and 86 to 100% similarity. The tlp genes and several TL protein genes of certain cereals are clustered into a small group that is phylogenetically separate from the major group of TL protein genes of several plant species. In plants infected with the incompatible isolate Pga-1H, or an inappropriate isolate Pgt-8D of P. graminis f. sp. tritici, high levels of tlp gene transcripts accumulated at 42 to 48 h AI and thereafter when hypersensitive host cell death occurred and hyphal growth was inhibited, whereas in plants infected with a compatible isolate Pga-6A, relatively lower amounts of transcripts were detected. Overall, transcript levels were higher with tlp-1 than with the three other genes. Spray with a light mineral oil used as a spore carrier induced transient expression of tlp-1, -2, and -3 genes at 16 to 30 h AI which obscured the initial induction of the tlp genes in response to infection by the pathogens. In contrast, tlp-4 was induced very little by oil spray, so that induction was clearly observed in response to either compatible, incompatible, or inappropriate isolates at 24 to 30 h AI. Wounding leaves by either slicing or puncturing them strongly induced tlp-1 and tlp-3, moderately induced tlp-2, but had no effect on tlp-4. Taken together, the results showed that tlp genes displayed differential responses to oil spray, mechanical wounding, and pathogen infection and that the expression of tlp genes, especially tlp-1, in oat is associated with resistance reactions in response to infection by incompatible and inappropriate isolates of the stem rust fungi.
authors: Department of Plant Pathology, University of Minnesota, St. Paul 55108, USA.
authors: K C
authors: KC
authors: Lin
authors: W R
authors: WR
authors: Bushnell
authors: L J
authors: LJ
authors: Szabo
authors: A G
authors: AG
authors: Smith
mesh_terms: D000595:Amino Acid Sequence; D018554:Avena / Q000235:genetics / Q000382:microbiology*; D001483:Base Sequence; D001487:Basidiomycota / Q000235:genetics*; D015139:Blotting, Southern; D003001:Cloning, Molecular; D015966:Gene Expression Regulation, Fungal; D017343:Genes, Plant; D008969:Molecular Sequence Data; D005810:Multigene Family; D010940:Plant Proteins / Q000235:genetics* / Q000302:isolation & purification*; D017386:Sequence Homology, Amino Acid; D012689:Sequence Homology, Nucleic Acid; D013549:Sweetening Agents
chemical_list: D010940:Plant Proteins; D013549:Sweetening Agents; C053376:pathogenesis-related proteins, plant; C003427:thaumatin protein, plant