title: Co-overexpression of Brassica juncea NPR1 (BjNPR1) and Trigonella foenum-graecum defensin (Tfgd) in transgenic peanut provides comprehensive but varied protection against Aspergillus flavus and Cercospora arachidicola.
abstract: Coexpression of two antifungal genes ( NPR1 and defensin ) in transgenic peanut results in the development of resistance to two major fungal pathogens, Aspergillus flavus and Cercospora arachidicola. Fungal diseases have been one of the principal causes of crop losses with no exception to peanut (Arachis hypogeae L.), a major oilseed crop in Asia and Africa. To address this problem, breeding for fungal disease resistance has been successful to some extent against specific pathogens. However, combating more than one fungal pathogen via breeding is a major limitation in peanut. In the present study, we demonstrated the potential use of co-overexpression of two genes, NPR1 and defensin isolated from Brassica juncea and Trigonella foenum-graecum respectively; that offered resistance towards Aspergillus flavus in peanut. The transgenic plants not only resisted the mycelial growth but also did not accumulate aflatoxin in the seeds. Resistance was also demonstrated against another pathogen, Cercospora arachidicola at varied levels; the transgenic plants showed both reduction in the number of spots and delay in the onset of disease. PCR, Southern and Western blot analysis confirmed stable integration and expression of the transgenes in the transgenic plants. The combinatorial use of the two pathogen resistance genes presents a novel approach to mitigate two important fungal pathogens of peanut.
authors.affiliation: Department of Crop Physiology, University of Agricultural Sciences, GKVK, Bengaluru, India.|Department of Pathology, University of Agricultural Sciences, GKVK, Bengaluru, India.|ICAR-Central Potato Research Institute, Shimla, HP, India.
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Sundaresha
authors.affiliation: Department of Crop Physiology, University of Agricultural Sciences, GKVK, Bengaluru, India.|ICAR-National Research Centre on Plant Biotechnology, LBS Centre, Pusa Campus, New Delhi, India.
authors.forename: Sreevathsa
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Rohini
authors.affiliation: Department of Crop Physiology, University of Agricultural Sciences, GKVK, Bengaluru, India.|Department of Botany, Annamalai University, Annamalai Nagar, Chidambaram, India.
authors.forename: V K
authors.initials: VK
authors.lastname: Appanna
authors.affiliation: Department of Crop Physiology, University of Agricultural Sciences, GKVK, Bengaluru, India.|Escuela Nacional de Estudios Superiores, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México (UNAM), León, 37684, Guanajuato, Mexico.
authors.forename: Manoj-Kumar
authors.initials: MK
authors.lastname: Arthikala
authors.affiliation: Department of Crop Physiology, University of Agricultural Sciences, GKVK, Bengaluru, India.
authors.forename: N B
authors.initials: NB
authors.lastname: Shanmugam
authors.affiliation: Department of Crop Physiology, University of Agricultural Sciences, GKVK, Bengaluru, India.
authors.forename: N B
authors.initials: NB
authors.lastname: Shashibhushan
authors.affiliation: Department of Crop Physiology, University of Agricultural Sciences, GKVK, Bengaluru, India.
authors.forename: C M Hari
authors.initials: CM
authors.lastname: Kishore
authors.affiliation: Department of Botany, Annamalai University, Annamalai Nagar, Chidambaram, India.
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Pannerselvam
authors.affiliation: Department of Plant Sciences, School of Life Science, University of Hyderabad, Hyderabad, India.
authors.forename: P B
authors.initials: PB
authors.lastname: Kirti
authors.affiliation: Department of Crop Physiology, University of Agricultural Sciences, GKVK, Bengaluru, India. udayakumar_m@yahoo.com.
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Udayakumar
mesh_terms: D010367:Arachis / Q000235:genetics / Q000276:immunology* / Q000382:microbiology; D001203:Ascomycota / Q000502:physiology; D001231:Aspergillus flavus / Q000502:physiology; D023082:Defensins / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D060467:Disease Resistance / Q000235:genetics*; D015870:Gene Expression; D009149:Mustard Plant / Q000235:genetics*; D010935:Plant Diseases / Q000276:immunology* / Q000382:microbiology; D010940:Plant Proteins / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D030821:Plants, Genetically Modified; D036226:Seedlings / Q000235:genetics / Q000276:immunology / Q000382:microbiology; D012639:Seeds / Q000235:genetics / Q000276:immunology / Q000382:microbiology; D014170:Transformation, Genetic; D019076:Transgenes; D029910:Trigonella / Q000235:genetics*
chemical_list: D023082:Defensins; D010940:Plant Proteins
keywords: Agrobacterium tumefaciens; Aspergillus flavus; Cercospora arachidicola; Fungi; In planta transformation; Peanut