title: The cold-induced defensin TAD1 confers resistance against snow mold and Fusarium head blight in transgenic wheat.
abstract: TAD1 (Triticum aestivum defensin 1) is induced during cold acclimation in winter wheat and encodes a plant defensin with antimicrobial activity. In this study, we demonstrated that recombinant TAD1 protein inhibits hyphal growth of the snow mold fungus, Typhula ishikariensis in vitro. Transgenic wheat plants overexpressing TAD1 were created and tested for resistance against T. ishikariensis. Leaf inoculation assays revealed that overexpression of TAD1 confers resistance against the snow mold. In addition, the TAD1-overexpressors showed resistance against Fusarium graminearum, which causes Fusarium head blight, a devastating disease in wheat and barley. These results indicate that TAD1 is a candidate gene to improve resistance against multiple fungal diseases in cereal crops.
authors.affiliation: Hokkaido Agricultural Research Center, National Agriculture and Food Research Organization (NARO), Toyohira-ku, Sapporo 062-8555, Japan.
authors.forename: Kentaro
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Sasaki
authors.affiliation: Hokkaido Agricultural Research Center, National Agriculture and Food Research Organization (NARO), Toyohira-ku, Sapporo 062-8555, Japan.
authors.forename: Chikako
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Kuwabara
authors.affiliation: Hokkaido Agricultural Research Center, National Agriculture and Food Research Organization (NARO), Toyohira-ku, Sapporo 062-8555, Japan; Graduate School of Agriculture, Hokkaido University, Kita-ku, Sapporo 060-8589, Japan.
authors.forename: Natsuki
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Umeki
authors.affiliation: Hokkaido Agricultural Research Center, National Agriculture and Food Research Organization (NARO), Toyohira-ku, Sapporo 062-8555, Japan.
authors.forename: Mari
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Fujioka
authors.affiliation: Graduate School of Agriculture, Hokkaido University, Kita-ku, Sapporo 060-8589, Japan.
authors.forename: Wataru
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Saburi
authors.affiliation: Graduate School of Agriculture, Hokkaido University, Kita-ku, Sapporo 060-8589, Japan.
authors.forename: Hirokazu
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Matsui
authors.affiliation: Institute of Crop Science, National Agriculture and Food Research Organization (NARO), Kannondai, Tsukuba 305-8518, Japan.
authors.forename: Fumitaka
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Abe
authors.affiliation: Hokkaido Agricultural Research Center, National Agriculture and Food Research Organization (NARO), Toyohira-ku, Sapporo 062-8555, Japan; Graduate School of Agriculture, Hokkaido University, Kita-ku, Sapporo 060-8589, Japan. Electronic address: rzi@affrc.go.jp.
authors.forename: Ryozo
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Imai
mesh_terms: D000363:Agaricales / Q000187:drug effects*; D023082:Defensins / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism / Q000494:pharmacology*; D060467:Disease Resistance / Q000235:genetics / Q000502:physiology*; D054884:Host-Pathogen Interactions; D010940:Plant Proteins / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism / Q000494:pharmacology*; D030821:Plants, Genetically Modified / Q000235:genetics / Q000382:microbiology / Q000502:physiology*; D014908:Triticum / Q000235:genetics / Q000382:microbiology / Q000502:physiology*
chemical_list: D023082:Defensins; D010940:Plant Proteins
keywords: Cold acclimation; Defensin; Fusarium graminearum; Snow mold; Transgenic wheat