title: Characterization of the MLO gene family in Rosaceae and gene expression analysis in Malus domestica.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Powdery mildew (PM) is a major fungal disease of thousands of plant species, including many cultivated Rosaceae. PM pathogenesis is associated with up-regulation of MLO genes during early stages of infection, causing down-regulation of plant defense pathways. Specific members of the MLO gene family act as PM-susceptibility genes, as their loss-of-function mutations grant durable and broad-spectrum resistance.
  
  
  RESULTS
  We carried out a genome-wide characterization of the MLO gene family in apple, peach and strawberry, and we isolated apricot MLO homologs through a PCR-approach. Evolutionary relationships between MLO homologs were studied and syntenic blocks constructed. Homologs that are candidates for being PM susceptibility genes were inferred by phylogenetic relationships with functionally characterized MLO genes and, in apple, by monitoring their expression following inoculation with the PM causal pathogen Podosphaera leucotricha.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Genomic tools available for Rosaceae were exploited in order to characterize the MLO gene family. Candidate MLO susceptibility genes were identified. In follow-up studies it can be investigated whether silencing or a loss-of-function mutations in one or more of these candidate genes leads to PM resistance.
authors: Stefano
authors: S
authors: Pessina
authors: Stefano
authors: S
authors: Pavan
authors: Domenico
authors: D
authors: Catalano
authors: Alessandra
authors: A
authors: Gallotta
authors: Richard G F
authors: RG
authors: Visser
authors: Yuling
authors: Y
authors: Bai
authors: Department of Genomics and Biology of Fruit Crops, Fondazione Edmund Mach, via E, Mach 1, 38010 San Michele all'Adige, Italy. mickael.malnoy@fmach.it.
authors: Mickael
authors: M
authors: Malnoy
authors: Henk J
authors: HJ
authors: Schouten
mesh_terms: D001203:Ascomycota / Q000502:physiology; D060467:Disease Resistance; D017343:Genes, Plant; D027845:Malus / Q000235:genetics*; D010802:Phylogeny; D010935:Plant Diseases / Q000235:genetics / Q000382:microbiology; D010940:Plant Proteins / Q000145:classification / Q000235:genetics*; D060888:Real-Time Polymerase Chain Reaction; D027824:Rosaceae / Q000235:genetics*; D026801:Synteny / Q000235:genetics; D014158:Transcription, Genetic
chemical_list: D010940:Plant Proteins