title: Cloning and molecular characterization of the potato RING finger protein gene StRFP1 and its function in potato broad-spectrum resistance against Phytophthora infestans.
abstract: Really interesting new gene (RING) finger proteins function as ubiquitin ligase and play key roles in biotic and abiotic stresses. A new RING-H2 finger protein gene, StRFP1, was cloned from Phytophthora infestans-inoculated leaves of potato (Solanum tuberosum) clone 386209.10, which is free of R1-R11 genes. The deduced amino acid sequence was characterized by an N-terminal transmembrane domain, a GLD region and a RING-H2 finger signature. StRFP1 is homologous to the tobacco NtACRE132 protein and belongs to the ATL family. The DNA gel blot analysis and mapping revealed that StRFP1, an intron-free gene, had one to two copies in the potato genome and was located on chromosome 3. RT-PCR assays showed that StRFP1 was constitutively expressed in potato plants and significantly induced in detached potato leaves by P. infestans and plant defense-related signal molecules, abscisic acid, salicylic acid and methyl jasmonate. Transient expression studies revealed that StRFP1 fused with GFP localized to the plasma membrane or out of that in onion epidermal cells. The function of StRFP1 in potato resistance against late blight was further investigated by constructing overexpression and RNA interference (RNAi) vectors, which were introduced into potato cv. E-potato 3, respectively. By challenging the detached leaves with mixture races of P. infestans, all of the StRFP1-overexpressing plants displayed slower disease development than non-transformed controls in terms of the lesion growth rate (LGR). In contrast, StRFP1-silencing plants through RNAi were more susceptible to pathogen infection. The present results demonstrate that StRFP1 contributes to broad-spectrum resistance against P. infestans in potato.
authors.affiliation: Key Laboratory of Horticultural Plant Biology (Huazhong Agricultural University), Wuhan, Hubei 430070, People's Republic of China.
authors.forename: Xuemei
authors.initials: X
authors.lastname: Ni
authors.forename: Zhendong
authors.initials: Z
authors.lastname: Tian
authors.forename: Jun
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Liu
authors.forename: Botao
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Song
authors.forename: Conghua
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Xie
mesh_terms: D018506:Gene Expression Regulation, Plant / Q000235:genetics / Q000502:physiology; D055750:Phytophthora infestans / Q000472:pathogenicity*; D010940:Plant Proteins / Q000235:genetics / Q000502:physiology*; D030821:Plants, Genetically Modified / Q000235:genetics / Q000382:microbiology; D034622:RNA Interference; D020133:Reverse Transcriptase Polymerase Chain Reaction; D011198:Solanum tuberosum / Q000235:genetics* / Q000382:microbiology*
chemical_list: D010940:Plant Proteins