title: The Arabidopsis lectin receptor kinase LecRK-I.9 enhances resistance to Phytophthora infestans in Solanaceous plants.
abstract: Late blight caused by the plant pathogenic oomycete Phytophthora infestans is known as one of the most destructive potato diseases. Plant breeders tend to employ NB-LRR-based resistance for introducing genetically controlled late blight resistance in their breeding lines. However, P. infestans is able to rapidly escape this type of resistance, and hence, NB-LRR-based resistance in potato cultivars is often not durable. Previously, we identified a novel type of Phytophthora resistance in Arabidopsis. This resistance is mediated by the cell surface receptor LecRK-I.9, which belongs to the family of L-type lectin receptor kinases. In this study, we report that expression of the Arabidopsis LecRK-I.9 gene in potato and Nicotiana benthamiana results in significantly enhanced late blight resistance. Transcriptional profiling showed strong reduction in salicylic acid (SA)-mediated defence gene expression in LecRK-I.9 transgenic potato lines (TPLs). In contrast, transcripts of two protease inhibitor genes accumulated to extreme high levels, suggesting that LecRK-I.9-mediated late blight resistance is relying on a defence response that includes activation of protease inhibitors. These results demonstrate that the functionality of LecRK-I.9 in Phytophthora resistance is maintained after interfamily transfer to potato and N. benthamiana and suggest that this novel type of LecRK-based resistance can be exploited in breeding strategies to improve durable late blight resistance in Solanaceous crops.
authors: Laboratory of Phytopathology, Wageningen University, Wageningen, The Netherlands; Centre for BioSystems Genomics (CBSG), Wageningen, The Netherlands.
authors: Klaas
authors: K
authors: Bouwmeester
authors: Miao
authors: M
authors: Han
authors: Rosario
authors: R
authors: Blanco-Portales
authors: Wei
authors: W
authors: Song
authors: Rob
authors: R
authors: Weide
authors: Li-Yun
authors: LY
authors: Guo
authors: Edwin A G
authors: EA
authors: van der Vossen
authors: Francine
authors: F
authors: Govers
mesh_terms: D017360:Arabidopsis / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D018506:Gene Expression Regulation, Plant; D055750:Phytophthora infestans / Q000472:pathogenicity*; D010935:Plant Diseases / Q000235:genetics / Q000517:prevention & control; D010940:Plant Proteins / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D030821:Plants, Genetically Modified / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000382:microbiology; D011198:Solanum tuberosum / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000469:parasitology*
chemical_list: D010940:Plant Proteins
keywords: Nicotiana benthamiana; Phytophthora; disease resistance; interfamily gene transfer; lectin receptor kinase; potato