Evolving disease resistance genes.
Defenses against most specialized plant pathogens are often initiated by a plant disease resistance gene. Plant genomes encode several classes of genes that can function as resistance genes. Many of the mechanisms that drive the molecular evolution of these genes are now becoming clear. The processes that contribute to the diversity of R genes include tandem and segmental gene duplications, recombination, unequal crossing-over, point mutations, and diversifying selection. Diversity within populations is maintained by balancing selection. Analyses of whole-genome sequences have and will continue to provide new insight into the dynamics of resistance gene evolution.
Meyers
Blake C
BC
Delaware Biotechnology Institute, University of Delaware, Newark, Delaware 19714, USA. meyers@dbi.udel.edu
Kaushik
Shail
S
Nandety
Raja Sekhar
RS
D019143:Evolution, Molecular; D007113:Immunity, Innate / Q000235:genetics*; D010935:Plant Diseases / Q000235:genetics*; D010944:Plants / Q000235:genetics*