title: TaMCA1, a regulator of cell death, is important for the interaction between wheat and Puccinia striiformis.
abstract: Metacaspase orthologs are conserved in fungi, protozoa and plants, however, their roles in plant disease resistance are largely unknown. In this study, we identified a Triticum aestivum metacaspase gene, TaMCA1, with three copies located on chromosomes 1A, 1B and 1D. The TaMCA1 protein contained typical structural features of type I metacaspases domains, including an N-terminal pro-domain. Transient expression analyses indicated that TaMCA1 was localized in cytosol and mitochondria. TaMCA1 exhibited no caspase-1 activity in vitro, but was able to inhibit cell death in tobacco and wheat leaves induced by the mouse Bax gene. In addition, the expression level of TaMCA1 was up-regulated following challenge with the Puccinia striiformis f. sp. tritici (Pst). Knockdown of TaMCA1 via virus-induced gene silencing (VIGS) enhanced plant disease resistance to Pst, and the accumulation of hydrogen peroxide (H2O2). Further study showed that TaMCA1 decreased yeast cell resistance similar to the function of yeast metacaspase, and there was no interaction between TaMCA1 and TaLSD1. Based on these combined results, we speculate that TaMCA1, a regulator of cell death, is important during the compatible interaction of wheat and Pst.
authors.affiliation: State Key Laboratory of Crop Stress Biology for Arid Areas and College of Plant Protection, Northwest A&F University, Yangling, China.
authors.forename: Yingbin
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Hao
authors.affiliation: State Key Laboratory of Crop Stress Biology for Arid Areas and College of Plant Protection, Northwest A&F University, Yangling, China.
authors.forename: Xiaojie
authors.initials: X
authors.lastname: Wang
authors.affiliation: State Key Laboratory of Crop Stress Biology for Arid Areas and College of Plant Protection, Northwest A&F University, Yangling, China.
authors.forename: Kang
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Wang
authors.affiliation: State Key Laboratory of Crop Stress Biology for Arid Areas and College of Plant Protection, Northwest A&F University, Yangling, China.
authors.forename: Huayi
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Li
authors.affiliation: State Key Laboratory of Crop Stress Biology for Arid Areas and College of Life Science, Northwest A&F University, Yangling, China.
authors.forename: Xiaoyuan
authors.initials: X
authors.lastname: Duan
authors.affiliation: State Key Laboratory of Crop Stress Biology for Arid Areas and College of Plant Protection, Northwest A&F University, Yangling, China.
authors.forename: Chunlei
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Tang
authors.affiliation: State Key Laboratory of Crop Stress Biology for Arid Areas and College of Plant Protection, Northwest A&F University, Yangling, China.
authors.forename: Zhensheng
authors.initials: Z
authors.lastname: Kang
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D001487:Basidiomycota / Q000472:pathogenicity / Q000502:physiology*; D020169:Caspases / Q000172:deficiency / Q000235:genetics*; D032461:Chromosomes, Plant / Q000737:chemistry; D003600:Cytosol / Q000201:enzymology / Q000382:microbiology; D004268:DNA-Binding Proteins / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D060467:Disease Resistance; D018628:Gene Dosage; D018506:Gene Expression Regulation, Plant; D055785:Gene Knockdown Techniques; D054884:Host-Pathogen Interactions; D051379:Mice; D008928:Mitochondria / Q000201:enzymology / Q000235:genetics / Q000382:microbiology; D059828:Plant Cells / Q000201:enzymology / Q000382:microbiology; D010935:Plant Diseases / Q000235:genetics / Q000382:microbiology; D018515:Plant Leaves / Q000201:enzymology / Q000235:genetics / Q000382:microbiology; D010940:Plant Proteins / Q000235:genetics* / Q000378:metabolism; D010942:Plant Viruses / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D014026:Nicotiana / Q000201:enzymology / Q000235:genetics / Q000382:microbiology; D019076:Transgenes; D014908:Triticum / Q000201:enzymology / Q000235:genetics* / Q000382:microbiology; D051028:bcl-2-Associated X Protein / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism
chemical_list: C494827:Bax protein, mouse; D004268:DNA-Binding Proteins; D010940:Plant Proteins; D051028:bcl-2-Associated X Protein; D020169:Caspases