title: Resistance of callose synthase activity to free fatty acid inhibition as an indicator of Fusarium head blight resistance in wheat.
abstract: The fungal pathogen Fusarium graminearum is the causal agent of Fusarium head blight (FHB); a devastating crop disease resulting in heavy yield losses and grain contamination with mycotoxins. We recently showed that the secreted lipase FGL1, a virulence factor of F. graminearum, targets plant defense-related callose biosynthesis during wheat head infection. This effector-like function is based on a FGL1-mediated release of polyunsaturated free fatty acids (FFA) that can inhibit callose synthase activity. The importance of FGL1 in successful wheat head colonization was demonstrated in FGL1 disruption mutants (Δfgl1), where infection was restricted to directly inoculated spikelets and accompanied by strong callose deposition in the spikelet's phloem. The application of polyunsaturated FFA to Δfgl1-infected spikelets prevented callose deposition in the phloem and partially restored wheat head colonization.   The comparative analysis of 3 wheat cultivars revealed that the level of resistance to FHB correlated with resistance to FFA-dependent inhibition of callose biosynthesis. Therefore, resistance of callose biosynthesis to FFA inhibition might be used as marker and/or direct target in the breeding of FHB-resistant wheat cultivars.
authors.affiliation: a Phytopathology and Biochemistry; Biocenter Klein Flottbek; University of Hamburg; Hamburg, Germany.
authors.forename: Dorothea
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Ellinger
authors.forename: Björn
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Sode
authors.forename: Christian
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Falter
authors.forename: Christian A
authors.initials: CA
authors.lastname: Voigt
mesh_terms: D001947:Breeding; D060467:Disease Resistance / Q000235:genetics*; D005230:Fatty Acids, Nonesterified / Q000037:antagonists & inhibitors / Q000378:metabolism*; D005231:Fatty Acids, Unsaturated / Q000378:metabolism; D005670:Fusarium / Q000378:metabolism / Q000472:pathogenicity*; D005936:Glucans / Q000096:biosynthesis*; D005964:Glucosyltransferases / Q000037:antagonists & inhibitors*; D056626:Inflorescence; D008049:Lipase / Q000378:metabolism; D009183:Mycotoxins / Q000378:metabolism; D010641:Phenotype; D052585:Phloem / Q000382:microbiology; D010935:Plant Diseases / Q000382:microbiology; D010940:Plant Proteins / Q000378:metabolism; D013045:Species Specificity; D014908:Triticum / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism / Q000382:microbiology; D037521:Virulence Factors / Q000378:metabolism
chemical_list: D005230:Fatty Acids, Nonesterified; D005231:Fatty Acids, Unsaturated; D005936:Glucans; D009183:Mycotoxins; D010940:Plant Proteins; D037521:Virulence Factors; C048306:callose; D005964:Glucosyltransferases; C020570:1,3-beta-glucan synthase; D008049:Lipase
keywords: (1,3)-β-glucan; Fusarium graminearum; Triticum aestivum; cereal pathogen; plant defense