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Over-expressing a UDP-glucosyltransferase gene (Ta-UGT 3 ) enhances Fusarium Head Blight resistance of wheat

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Abstract

Wheat Fusarium Head Blight (FHB), mainly caused by Fusarium graminearum (F.g), is a destructive fungal disease worldwide. FHB can not only cause considerable reduction in yield, but more seriously, can contaminate grain by trichothecene toxins released by the fungus. Here, we report new insights into the function and underlying mechanisms of a UDP-glycosyltransferase gene, Ta-UGT 3 , that is involved in FHB resistance in wheat. In our previous study, Ta-UGT 3 was found to enhance host tolerance against deoxynivalenol (DON) in Arabidopsis. In this study, four transgenic lines over-expressing Ta-UGT 3 in a FHB highly susceptible wheat variety, Alondra’s, were obtained and characterized. 3 years of assays using single floret inoculation with F.g indicated that all four transgenic lines exhibited significantly enhanced type II resistance to FHB and less DON accumulation in the grains compared to the untransformed control. Histological observation using GFP labelled F.g was in agreement with the above test results since over-expression of Ta-UGT 3 dramatically inhibited expansion of F.g. To explore the putative mechanism of resistance mediated by Ta-UGT 3 , microarray analysis, qRT-PCR and hormone measurements were performed. Microarray analysis showed that DON up-regulated genes, such as TaNPR1, in the susceptible control, and down-regulated genes in F.g inoculated transgenic lines, while qRT-PCR showed that some defence related genes were up-regulated in F.g inoculated transgenic lines. Ta-UGT 3 over-expression also changed the contents of the endogenous hormones SA and JA in the spikes. These data suggest that Ta-UGT 3 positively regulates the defence responses to F.g, perhaps by regulating defence-related and DON-induced downstream genes.

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Acknowledgements

This research was supported by grants from the National Key Research and Development Program of China (2017YFD0100801), the Important National Science & Technology Specific Projects of Transgenic Research (Grant No. 2014ZX0800202B-002), Natural Science Foundation of China (31471489, 31671685), Natural Science Foundation of Jiangsu Province (SBK2017020263), Fundamental Research Funds for the National Central Universities (KYZ201601, KYYJ201602), Jiangsu Science and Technology Support Program (BE2013439) and Jiangsu Agricultural Science and Technology Innovation Fund (CX151001), the Program of Introducing Talents of Discipline to Universities (No. B08025).

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. National Key Laboratory of Crop Genetics and Germplasm Enhancement, Nanjing Agricultural University/JCIC-MCP, Weigang 1#, Nanjing, 210095, Jiangsu, China

    Liping Xing, Li Gao, Qiguang Chen, Haiyan Pei, Zhaocan Di, Jin Xiao, Haiyan Wang, Lulin Ma, Peidu Chen, Aizhong Cao & Xiue Wang

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  1. Liping Xing
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  2. Li Gao
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  3. Qiguang Chen
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  6. Jin Xiao
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  7. Haiyan Wang
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  8. Lulin Ma
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  10. Aizhong Cao
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  11. Xiue Wang
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Contributions

XW, AC, PC and LX participated in the design of the experimental plan. QC, ZD, HP and JX took part in statistical analysis. LG performed the promoter blast and related bioinformatics analysis. QC, HP, HW, LM and LX performed gene expression analysis, gene transformation and FHB and DON evaluation. ZD conducted the histochemical observation. LX, LG and AC wrote the manuscript. All authors have read and approved the final manuscript.

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Correspondence to Xiue Wang.

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Xing, L., Gao, L., Chen, Q. et al. Over-expressing a UDP-glucosyltransferase gene (Ta-UGT 3 ) enhances Fusarium Head Blight resistance of wheat. Plant Growth Regul 84, 561–571 (2018). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10725-017-0361-5

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