title: Differential expression of four soybean bZIP genes during Phakopsora pachyrhizi infection.
abstract: Asian soybean rust (ASR), caused by the obligate biotrophic fungus Phakopsora pachyrhizi, is one of most important diseases in the soybean (Glycine max (L.) Merr.) agribusiness. The identification and characterization of genes related to plant defense responses to fungal infection are essential to develop ASR-resistant plants. In this work, we describe four soybean genes, GmbZIP62, GmbZIP105, GmbZIPE1, and GmbZIPE2, which encode transcription factors containing a basic leucine zipper (bZIP) domain from two divergent classes, and that are responsive to P. pachyrhizi infection. Molecular phylogenetic analyses demonstrated that these genes encode proteins similar to bZIP factors responsive to pathogens. Yeast transactivation assays showed that only GmbZIP62 has strong transactivation activity in yeast. In addition, three of the bZIP transcription factors analyzed were also differentially expressed by plant defense hormones, and all were differentially expressed by fungal attack, indicating that these proteins might participate in response to ASR infection. The results suggested that these bZIP proteins are part of the plant defense response to P. pachyrhizi infection, by regulating the gene expression related to ASR infection responses. These bZIP genes are potential targets to obtain new soybean genotypes resistant to ASR.
authors.affiliation: Departamento de Bioquímica e Biologia Molecular, Universidade Federal de Viçosa, Viçosa, Minas Gerais, 36570-000, Brazil.
authors.forename: Murilo S
authors.initials: MS
authors.lastname: Alves
authors.affiliation: Departamento de Bioquímica e Biologia Molecular, Universidade Federal de Viçosa, Viçosa, Minas Gerais, 36570-000, Brazil.
authors.forename: Zamira G
authors.initials: ZG
authors.lastname: Soares
authors.affiliation: Núcleo de Análise de Biomoléculas, NuBioMol, Universidade Federal de Viçosa, Viçosa, Minas Gerais, 36570-000, Brazil.
authors.forename: Pedro M P
authors.initials: PM
authors.lastname: Vidigal
authors.affiliation: Universidade Católica de Brasília, 70790-160, Brasília, Distrito Federal, Brazil.
authors.forename: Everaldo G
authors.initials: EG
authors.lastname: Barros
authors.affiliation: Embrapa Soja, Londrina, Paraná, 86001-970, Brazil.
authors.forename: Adriana M P
authors.initials: AM
authors.lastname: Poddanosqui
authors.affiliation: Embrapa Soja, Londrina, Paraná, 86001-970, Brazil.
authors.forename: Luciano N
authors.initials: LN
authors.lastname: Aoyagi
authors.affiliation: Embrapa Soja, Londrina, Paraná, 86001-970, Brazil.
authors.forename: Ricardo V
authors.initials: RV
authors.lastname: Abdelnoor
authors.affiliation: Embrapa Soja, Londrina, Paraná, 86001-970, Brazil.
authors.forename: Francismar C
authors.initials: FC
authors.lastname: Marcelino-Guimarães
authors.affiliation: Departamento de Bioquímica e Biologia Molecular, Universidade Federal de Viçosa, Viçosa, Minas Gerais, 36570-000, Brazil. lgfietto@ufv.br.
authors.forename: Luciano G
authors.initials: LG
authors.lastname: Fietto
mesh_terms: D018506:Gene Expression Regulation, Plant; D000067563:Phakopsora pachyrhizi / Q000472:pathogenicity; D010940:Plant Proteins / Q000737:chemistry / Q000235:genetics* / Q000378:metabolism; D013025:Glycine max / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism / Q000382:microbiology*; D014157:Transcription Factors / Q000737:chemistry / Q000235:genetics* / Q000378:metabolism; D016335:Zinc Fingers
chemical_list: D010940:Plant Proteins; D014157:Transcription Factors
keywords: Asian soybean rust; Biotic stress; Plant defense; Signal transduction; Transcriptional control