title: Overexpression of defense response genes in transgenic wheat enhances resistance to Fusarium head blight.
abstract: Fusarium head blight (FHB) of wheat, caused by Fusarium graminearum and other Fusarium species, is a major disease problem for wheat production worldwide. To combat this problem, large-scale breeding efforts have been established. Although progress has been made through standard breeding approaches, the level of resistance attained is insufficient to withstand epidemic conditions. Genetic engineering provides an alternative approach to enhance the level of resistance. Many defense response genes are induced in wheat during F. graminearum infection and may play a role in reducing FHB. The objectives of this study were (1) to develop transgenic wheat overexpressing the defense response genes alpha-1-purothionin, thaumatin-like protein 1 (tlp-1), and beta-1,3-glucanase; and (2) to test the resultant transgenic wheat lines against F. graminearum infection under greenhouse and field conditions. Using the wheat cultivar Bobwhite, we developed one, two, and four lines carrying the alpha-1-purothionin, tlp-1, and beta-1,3-glucanase transgenes, respectively, that had statistically significant reductions in FHB severity in greenhouse evaluations. We tested these seven transgenic lines under field conditions for percent FHB disease severity, deoxynivalenol (DON) mycotoxin accumulation, and percent visually scabby kernels (VSK). Six of the seven lines differed from the nontransgenic parental Bobwhite line for at least one of the disease traits. A beta-1,3-glucanase transgenic line had enhanced resistance, showing lower FHB severity, DON concentration, and percent VSK compared to Bobwhite. Taken together, the results showed that overexpression of defense response genes in wheat could enhance the FHB resistance in both greenhouse and field conditions.
authors.affiliation: Department of Agronomy and Plant Genetics, University of Minnesota, 411 Borlaug Hall, 1991 Upper Buford Circle, St Paul, MN 55108, USA.
authors.forename: Caroline A
authors.initials: CA
authors.lastname: Mackintosh
authors.forename: Janet
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Lewis
authors.forename: Lorien E
authors.initials: LE
authors.lastname: Radmer
authors.forename: Sanghyun
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Shin
authors.forename: Shane J
authors.initials: SJ
authors.lastname: Heinen
authors.forename: Lisa A
authors.initials: LA
authors.lastname: Smith
authors.forename: Meagen N
authors.initials: MN
authors.lastname: Wyckoff
authors.forename: Ruth
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Dill-Macky
authors.forename: Conrad K
authors.initials: CK
authors.lastname: Evans
authors.forename: Sasha
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Kravchenko
authors.forename: Gerald D
authors.initials: GD
authors.lastname: Baldridge
authors.forename: Richard J
authors.initials: RJ
authors.lastname: Zeyen
authors.forename: Gary J
authors.initials: GJ
authors.lastname: Muehlbauer
mesh_terms: D015139:Blotting, Southern; D015153:Blotting, Western; D005670:Fusarium / Q000254:growth & development*; D043326:Glucan 1,3-beta-Glucosidase / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D010935:Plant Diseases / Q000235:genetics* / Q000382:microbiology; D030821:Plants, Genetically Modified; D020133:Reverse Transcriptase Polymerase Chain Reaction; D014170:Transformation, Genetic; D014908:Triticum / Q000235:genetics* / Q000378:metabolism / Q000382:microbiology
chemical_list: D043326:Glucan 1,3-beta-Glucosidase