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Differential expression of the TMV resistance gene N prevents a hypersensitive response in seeds and during germination

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Abstract

The dominant tobacco mosaic virus (TMV) resistance gene N confers a hypersensitive response (HR) at the site of TMV infection and protects tobacco against systemic spread of the virus. To study N gene activity in seeds and early seedling development, the avirulence gene of N, the helicase domain (p50) of the TMV replicase, was constitutively expressed in a tobacco genotype without N (nn). Transgenic F1 expressing N and p50 were generated by crossing with an NN genotype. Surprisingly, Nn F1 seeds expressing p50 are viable and germinate. Only about 5 days after sowing, seedlings started to show an HR. This paralleled the upregulation of several pathogenesis-related and HR genes. The timing of the HR is consistent with the upregulation of N gene transcript 4–6 days after sowing. The expression of p50 has a stimulating effect on the N gene transcript level during germination. These results show that tobacco seeds and very young seedlings do not express a functional N gene product.

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Abbreviations

TMV:

Tobacco mosaic virus

HR:

Hypersensitive response

PR:

Pathogenesis related

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Acknowledgments

This work was supported by the German Ministry of Education and Research (BMBF). Tobacco genotypes and the TMV U1 strain were obtained from Barbara Baker. We are grateful to André Fleißner for critically reading the manuscript.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Institut für Genetik, Technische Universität Braunschweig, Spielmannstr. 7, 38106, Braunschweig, Germany

    Julia Niemeyer, Jonas Ruhe, Fabian Machens & Reinhard Hehl

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  1. Julia Niemeyer
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  2. Jonas Ruhe
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  3. Fabian Machens
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  4. Reinhard Hehl
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Correspondence to Reinhard Hehl.

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Niemeyer, J., Ruhe, J., Machens, F. et al. Differential expression of the TMV resistance gene N prevents a hypersensitive response in seeds and during germination. Planta 237, 909–915 (2013). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00425-012-1832-6

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00425-012-1832-6

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