Yong-Feng Shi

A Pid3 allele from rice cultivar Gumei2 confers resistance to Magnaporthe oryzae

Rice blast, caused by Magnaporthe oryzae, is one of the most devastating diseases. Using map-based strategy and in silico approach we isolated a new rice (Oryza sativa L.) blast resistance allele of Pid3, designated Pi25, from a stable blast resistance cultivar Gumei2. Over-expression analysis and complementation test showed that Pi25 conferred blast resistance to M. oryzae isolate js001-20. Sequence analysis showed that Pi25 was an intronless gene of 2,772 nucleotides with single nucleotide substitution in comparison to Pid3 at the nucleotide position 459 and predicatively encoded a typical coiled coil--nucleotide binding site--leucine rich repeat (CC--NBS--LRR) protein of 924 amino acid residuals with 100% identity to Pid3 putative protein. The susceptible allele pi25 in Nipponbare contained a nonsense mutation at the nucleotide position 2,209 resulting in a truncated protein with 736 amino acid residuals. In addition, 14 nucleotide substitutions resulting in 10 amino acid substitutions were identified between Pi25 and pi25 upstream the premature stop codon in the susceptible allele. Although the mechanism of Pi25/Pid3-mediated resistance needs to be further investigated, the isolation of the allele would facilitate the utilization of Pi25/Pid3 in rice blast resistance breeding program via transgenic approach and marker assisted selection.

Genetic analysis and gene mapping of a new rolled-leaf mutant in rice (Oryza sativa L.).

To understand the development of rice leaf blades, we identified a new rolled-leaf mutant, w32, from indica cultivar IR64 through EMS mutagenesis. The mutant showed a stable rolled-leaf phenotype throughout the life cycle. Two F2 populations were developed by crossing w32 to cultivar IR24 and PA64. Genetic analysis showed that the rolled-leaf phenotype was controlled by a single recessive gene. To determine the location of the gene, bulked segregant analysis was carried out using mutant and wild-type DNA pools and 1846 mutant-type F2 individuals derived from the cross w32/PA64 were genotyped to locate the gene on the short arm of chromosome 7. The rolled-leaf gene, tentatively named rl11(t), is likely a new gene as no other rolled-leaf genes have been identified near the region. By developing new SSR and InDel markers, the gene was delimited to a 52 kb region near the end of the short chromosome arm. Further fine mapping and cloning of the gene are currently underway.

Characterization and genetic analysis of a light- and temperature-sensitive spotted-leaf mutant in rice.

A rice spotted-leaf mutant was isolated from an ethane methyl sulfonate (EMS) -induced IR64 mutant bank. The mutant, designated as spl30 (spotted-leaf30), displayed normal green leaf color under shade but exhibited red-brown lesions under natural summer field conditions. Initiation of the lesions was induced by light and the symptom was enhanced at 33 (°) C relative to 26 (°) C. Histochemical staining did not show cell death around the red-brown lesions. Chlorophyll contents in the mutant were significantly lower than those of the wild type while the ratio of chlorophyll a/b remained the same, indicating that spl30 was impaired in biosynthesis or degradation of chlorophyll. Disease reaction patterns of the mutant to Xanthomonas oryzae pv. oryzae were largely unchanged to most races tested except for a few strains. Genetic analysis showed that the mutation was controlled by a single recessive gene, tentatively named spl30(t), which co-segregated with RM15380 on chromosome 3, and was delimited to a 94 kb region between RM15380 and RM15383. Spl30(t) is likely a novel rice spotted-leaf gene since no other similar genes have been identified near the chromosomal region. The genetic data and recombination populations provided in this study will enable further fine-mapping and cloning of the gene.

Characterization and Genetic Analysis of a Novel Rice Spotted-leaf Mutant HM47 with Broad-spectrum Resistance to Xanthomonas oryzae pv. oryzae†

A stable inherited rice spotted-leaf mutant HM47 derived from an EMS-induced IR64 mutant bank was identified. The mutant expressed hypersensitive response (HR)-like symptoms throughout its whole life from the first leaf to the flag leaf, without pathogen invasion. Initiation of the lesions was induced by light under natural summer field conditions. Expression of pathogenesis-related genes including PAL, PO-C1, POX22.3 and PBZ1 was enhanced significantly in association with cell death and accumulation of H2 O2 at and around the site of lesions in the mutant in contrast to that in the wild-type (WT). Disease reaction to Xanthomonas oryzae pv. oryzae from the Philippines and China showed that HM47 is a broad-spectrum disease-resistant mutant with enhanced resistance to multiple races of bacterial blight pathogens tested. An F2 progeny test showed that bacterial blight resistance to race HB-17 was co-segregated with the expression of lesions. Genetic analysis indicated that the spotted-leaf trait was controlled by a single recessive gene, tentatively named spl(HM47) , flanked by two insertion/deletion markers in a region of approximately 74 kb on the long arm of chromosome 4. Ten open reading frames are predicted, and all of them are expressed proteins. Isolation and validation of the putative genes are currently underway.

Single base substitution in OsCDC48 is responsible for premature senescence and death phenotype in rice.

Abstract A premature senescence and death 128 (psd128) mutant was isolated from an ethyl methane sulfonate‐induced rice IR64 mutant bank. The premature senescence phenotype appeared at the six‐leaf stage and the plant died at the early heading stage. psd128 exhibited impaired chloroplast development with significantly reduced photosynthetic ability, chlorophyll and carotenoid contents, root vigor, soluble protein content and increased malonaldehyde content. Furthermore, the expression of senescence‐related genes was significantly altered in psd128. The mutant trait was controlled by a single recessive nuclear gene. Using map‐based strategy, the mutation Oryza sativa cell division cycle 48 (OsCDC48) was isolated and predicted to encode a putative AAA‐type ATPase with 809 amino‐acid residuals. A single base substitution at position C2347T in psd128 resulted in a premature stop codon. Functional complementation could rescue the mutant phenotype. In addition, RNA interference resulted in the premature senescence and death phenotype. OsCDC48 was expressed constitutively in the root, stem, leaf and panicle. Subcellular analysis indicated that OsCDC48:YFP fusion proteins were located both in the cytoplasm and nucleus. OsCDC48 was highly conserved with more than 90% identity in the protein levels among plant species. Our results indicated that the impaired function of OsCDC48 was responsible for the premature senescence and death phenotype.

Avoidance of Linkage Drag Between Blast Resistance Gene and the QTL Conditioning Spikelet Fertility Based on Genotype Selection Against Heading Date in Rice

Previous study showed that a linkage drag between a blast resistance gene Pi25(t) and QTLs conditioning spikelet fertility (qSF-6) and number of filled grains per panicle (qNFGP-6) was detected on the short arm of chromosome 6. A larger population was used for further verification, and the results confirmed the linkage drag between the blast resistance gene and QTL conditioning spikelet fertility, other than QTL conditioning number of filled grains per panicle. Breakdown or avoidance of the linkage drag could be achieved by selection against the genotype background of a heading-date gene (qHD-7) that resided in the region between RM2 and RM214 on chromosome 7. For further validation, two lines with almost identical genotypes on all chromosomal regions except the Pi25(t) region on chromosome 6 were chosen to develop a new population. The results showed that qSF-6 could be further subdivided into qSF-6-1 and qSF-6-2. When the genotype of the region between RM2 and RM214 was from rice variety Zhong 156, the linkage drag between Pi25(t) and qSF-6-2 was detected and the allele of qSF-6-2 from rice variety Gumei 2 reduced the spikelet fertility. When the genotype of the region between RM2 and RM214 was from Gumei 2, no linkage drag was detected. This indicates that the linkage drag between the blast resistance gene and the QTL conditioning spikelet fertility could be broken down or avoided under a certain background genotype selection against heading-date and provides a marker aided solution for high level of blast resistance and yield breeding in rice and other crops as well.

Genetic Analysis and Gene Mapping of Light Brown Spotted Leaf Mutant in Rice

A light brown spotted-leaf mutant of rice was isolated from an ethane methyl sulfonate (EMS)- induced IR64 mutant bank. The mutant, designated as lbsl1 (light brown spotted-leaf 1), displayed light brown spot in the whole growth period from the first leaf to the flag leaf under natural summer field conditions. Agronomic traits including plant height, growth duration, number of filled grains per panicle, seed-setting rate and 1000-grain weight of the mutant were significantly affected. Genetic analysis showed that the mutation was controlled by a single recessive gene, tentatively named lbsl1(t), which was mapped to the short arm of chromosome 6. By developing simple sequence repeat (SSR) markers, the gene was finally delimited to an interval of 130 kb between markers RM586 and RM588. The lbsl1(t) gene is likely a novel rice spotted-leaf gene since no other similar genes have been identified near the chromosomal region. The genetic data and recombination populations provided will facilitate further fine-mapping and cloning of the gene.

A substitution mutation in OsPELOTA confers bacterial blight resistance by activating the salicylic acid pathway: OsPELOTA is involved in rice disease resistance

We previously reported a spotted-leaf mutant pelota (originally termed HM47) in rice displaying arrested growth and enhanced resistance to multiple races of Xanthomonas oryzae pv. oryzae. Here, we report the map-based cloning of the causal gene OsPELOTA (originally termed splHM47 ). We identified a single base substitution from T to A at position 556 in the coding sequence of OsPELOTA, effectively mutating phenylalanine to isoleucine at position 186 in the translated protein sequence. Both functional complementation and over-expression could rescue the spotted-leaf phenotype. OsPELOTA, a paralogue to eukaryotic release factor 1 (eRF1), shows high sequence similarity to Drosophila Pelota and also localizes to the endoplasmic reticulum and plasma membrane. OsPELOTA is constitutively expressed in roots, leaves, sheaths, stems, and panicles. Elevated levels of salicylic acid and decreased level of jasmonate were detected in the pelota mutant. RNA-seq analysis confirmed that genes responding to salicylic acid were upregulated in the mutant. Our results indicate that the rice PELOTA protein is involved in bacterial leaf blight resistance by activating the salicylic acid metabolic pathway.

Oryza sativa Chloroplast Signal Recognition Particle 43 (OscpSRP43) Is Required for Chloroplast Development and Photosynthesis

A rice chlorophyll-deficient mutant w67 was isolated from an ethyl methane sulfonate (EMS)–induced IR64 (Oryza sativa L. ssp. indica) mutant bank. The mutant exhibited a distinct yellow-green leaf phenotype in the whole plant growth duration with significantly reduced levels of chlorophyll and carotenoid, impaired chloroplast development and lowered capacity of photosynthesis compared with the wild-type IR64. Expression of a number of genes associated with chlorophyll metabolism, chloroplast biogenesis and photosynthesis was significantly altered in the mutant. Genetic analysis indicated that the yellow-green phenotype was controlled by a single recessive nuclear gene located on the short arm of chromosome 3. Using map-based strategy, the mutation was isolated and predicted to encode a chloroplast signal recognition particle 43 KD protein (cpSRP43) with 388 amino acid residuals. A single base substitution from A to T at position 160 resulted in a premature stop codon. OscpSRP43 was constitutively expressed in various organs with the highest level in the leaf. Functional complementation could rescue the mutant phenotype and subcellular localization showed that the cpSRP43:GFP fusion protein was targeted to the chloroplast. The data suggested that Oryza sativa cpSRP43 (OscpSRP43) was required for the normal development of chloroplasts and photosynthesis in rice.

Development and Validation of CAPS Markers for Marker-Assisted Selection of Rice Blast Resistance Gene Pi25 : Development and Validation of CAPS Markers for Marker-Assisted Selection of Rice Blast Resistance Gene Pi25

为在水稻育种中快速与高效利用稻瘟病抗性基因Pi25, 本文利用该基因不同等位基因编码区序列差异开发了4套CAPS标记(CAP1/ Hinc II、CAP3/ Bgl II、CAP3/ Nde I和CAP3/ Hpy 99I), 并利用169份稻种资源、98个重组自交系(RIL)以及217个水稻转基因后代, 对4套标记的准确性和选择效果进行了验证。结果表明, 4套标记均能准确地检测 Pi25 / pi25 座位。其中, 标记CAP1/ Hinc II和CAP3/ Hpy 99I特异性识别并酶切显性等位基因, 而标记CAP3/ Bgl II和CAP3/ Nde I特异性识别并酶切隐性等位基因。利用稻瘟病菌株JS001-20接种RIL与转基因材料, 抗性表现与标记检测的结果完全一致, 表明该CAPS标记准确可靠。分析稻种资源后发现, Pi25 基因频率较低(1.2%), 说明该基因在我国水稻稻瘟病抗性育种中还没有被充分利用。本文的研究结果特别是开发的2对识别并酶切显性等位基因的CAPS标记可用于分子标记辅助选择, 改良我国早籼稻的稻瘟病抗性。