title: Improvement of multiple agronomic traits by a disease resistance gene via cell wall reinforcement.
abstract: The major disease resistance gene Xa4 confers race-specific durable resistance against Xanthomonas oryzae pv. oryzae, which causes the most damaging bacterial disease in rice worldwide. Although Xa4 has been one of the most widely exploited resistance genes in rice production worldwide, its molecular nature remains unknown. Here we show that Xa4, encoding a cell wall-associated kinase, improves multiple traits of agronomic importance without compromising grain yield by strengthening the cell wall via promoting cellulose synthesis and suppressing cell wall loosening. Strengthening of the cell wall by Xa4 enhances resistance to bacterial infection, and also increases mechanical strength of the culm with slightly reduced plant height, which may improve lodging resistance of the rice plant. The simultaneous improvement of multiple agronomic traits conferred by Xa4 may account for its widespread and lasting utilization in rice breeding programmes globally.
authors.affiliation: National Key Laboratory of Crop Genetic Improvement, National Centre of Plant Gene Research (Wuhan), Huazhong Agricultural University, Wuhan 430070, China.
authors.forename: Keming
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Hu
authors.affiliation: National Key Laboratory of Crop Genetic Improvement, National Centre of Plant Gene Research (Wuhan), Huazhong Agricultural University, Wuhan 430070, China.
authors.forename: Jianbo
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Cao
authors.affiliation: National Key Laboratory of Crop Genetic Improvement, National Centre of Plant Gene Research (Wuhan), Huazhong Agricultural University, Wuhan 430070, China.
authors.forename: Jie
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Zhang
authors.affiliation: National Key Laboratory of Crop Genetic Improvement, National Centre of Plant Gene Research (Wuhan), Huazhong Agricultural University, Wuhan 430070, China.
authors.forename: Fan
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Xia
authors.affiliation: National Key Laboratory of Crop Genetic Improvement, National Centre of Plant Gene Research (Wuhan), Huazhong Agricultural University, Wuhan 430070, China.
authors.forename: Yinggen
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Ke
authors.affiliation: National Key Laboratory of Crop Genetic Improvement, National Centre of Plant Gene Research (Wuhan), Huazhong Agricultural University, Wuhan 430070, China.
authors.forename: Haitao
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Zhang
authors.affiliation: National Key Laboratory of Crop Genetic Improvement, National Centre of Plant Gene Research (Wuhan), Huazhong Agricultural University, Wuhan 430070, China.
authors.forename: Wenya
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Xie
authors.affiliation: National Key Laboratory of Crop Genetic Improvement, National Centre of Plant Gene Research (Wuhan), Huazhong Agricultural University, Wuhan 430070, China.
authors.forename: Hongbo
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Liu
authors.affiliation: National Key Laboratory of Crop Genetic Improvement, National Centre of Plant Gene Research (Wuhan), Huazhong Agricultural University, Wuhan 430070, China.
authors.forename: Ying
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Cui
authors.affiliation: National Key Laboratory of Crop Genetic Improvement, National Centre of Plant Gene Research (Wuhan), Huazhong Agricultural University, Wuhan 430070, China.
authors.forename: Yinglong
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Cao
authors.affiliation: National Key Laboratory of Crop Genetic Improvement, National Centre of Plant Gene Research (Wuhan), Huazhong Agricultural University, Wuhan 430070, China.
authors.forename: Xinli
authors.initials: X
authors.lastname: Sun
authors.affiliation: National Key Laboratory of Crop Genetic Improvement, National Centre of Plant Gene Research (Wuhan), Huazhong Agricultural University, Wuhan 430070, China.
authors.forename: Jinghua
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Xiao
authors.affiliation: National Key Laboratory of Crop Genetic Improvement, National Centre of Plant Gene Research (Wuhan), Huazhong Agricultural University, Wuhan 430070, China.
authors.forename: Xianghua
authors.initials: X
authors.lastname: Li
authors.affiliation: National Key Laboratory of Crop Genetic Improvement, National Centre of Plant Gene Research (Wuhan), Huazhong Agricultural University, Wuhan 430070, China.
authors.forename: Qinglu
authors.initials: Q
authors.lastname: Zhang
authors.affiliation: National Key Laboratory of Crop Genetic Improvement, National Centre of Plant Gene Research (Wuhan), Huazhong Agricultural University, Wuhan 430070, China.
authors.forename: Shiping
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Wang
mesh_terms: D002473:Cell Wall / Q000502:physiology; D060467:Disease Resistance; D012275:Oryza / Q000235:genetics* / Q000378:metabolism / Q000382:microbiology; D010935:Plant Diseases / Q000235:genetics* / Q000382:microbiology / Q000517:prevention & control*; D010940:Plant Proteins / Q000235:genetics* / Q000378:metabolism; D014974:Xanthomonas / Q000502:physiology*
chemical_list: D010940:Plant Proteins