
An international team of scientists led by KAUST has combined the latest DNA sequencing techniques to assemble the genome for bread wheat. Using this genome, the researchers identified and cloned a key gene that helps crops resist stripe rust.
CREDIT: KAUST
Pests and diseases result in the loss of one-fifth of the global wheat harvest each year, which is enough to make around 290 billion loaves of bread. Resolving the persistent problem of the fungal rust diseases that attack wheat could help ensure future food security.
KAUST researchers, along with collaborators from South Africa, France and the U.S., have assembled the highest quality genome to date for bread wheat. This is a key South African wheat cultivar called Kariega, which has robust resistance to stripe rust, one of the three species of wheat rust. Using this genome, the researchers identified and cloned a key gene that confers stripe rust resistance.
“Rust spores are dispersed by winds and can travel thousands of kilometers, meaning new and highly virulent strains spread rapidly,” says Naveenkumar Athiyannan, who worked on the project alongside KAUST’s Michael Abrouk and Simon Krattinger. “Unlike humans, plants don’t have an adaptive immune system that helps them ‘memorize’ past infections. Instead, their ability to withstand specific diseases is encoded by disease resistance genes.”
“Wheat has a dynamic and complex genome, five times larger than the human genome. This makes it extremely challenging to pinpoint the location of a specific gene,” says Abrouk. Moreover, disease resistance genes often differ between wheat cultivars. Sequencing the Kariega genome, in particular, is important for understanding stripe rust resistance.
The team combined the latest DNA sequencing techniques to assemble the genome, before conducting extensive analysis using molecular markers to identify the exact chromosomal region that confers stripe rust resistance.
“The Kariega assembly allowed us to look in detail at the DNA sequence of this region and identify all possible candidate genes,” says Abrouk. “This step would have taken months or even years in the past.”
The team identified the stripe rust resistance gene as Yr27, which they then cloned to study the gene function and molecular mechanisms of resistance. In future, the cloned genes could be transferred to cultivars during breeding, and could even be modified to alter a plant’s disease recognition and resistance.
“We were excited to discover that Yr27 is a version, or allele, of a known leaf rust resistance gene,” says Athiyannan. “Now that we know the exact sequences of both alleles, we may be able to engineer a new version of the gene that recognizes both diseases simultaneously.”
“We’ve developed a fast and cost-effective strategy to clone disease resistance genes,” adds Krattinger. “The long-term goal is to clone the 400 resistance genes found in wheat, providing scientists with a real shot at eradicating major wheat diseases.”
Original Article: Understanding rust resistance in bread wheat
More from: King Abdullah University of Science and Technology
The Latest Updates from Bing News & Google News
Go deeper with Bing News on:
Rust resistance in bread wheat
- Rust console commands list 2024
What are the most useful Rust console commands? When toiling in the wastelands of Rust, the game’s developer console provides a quick way to change settings, manage your server, and access all ...
- Fewer wheat crop problems seen in western North Dakota
DEVILS LAKE, NORTH DAKOTA, US — Wheat industry representatives scouting fields in northwestern and north central North Dakota on July 24 found a large spring wheat crop with a lower presence of scab ...
- Attorneys for ‘Rust’ armorer file for dismissal of her case or new trial after collapse of Alec Baldwin case
Attorneys for “Rust” movie armorer Hannah Gutierrez Reed – convicted of involuntary manslaughter in the 2021 on-set fatal shooting of a cinematographer – have filed a motion for a new ...
- Alec Baldwin breaks down in tears as his ‘Rust’ shooting trial is thrown out: Updates
Recommended How does a gun shoot without pulling the trigger? Here’s what Baldwin’s defense is saying The ‘Rust’ movie budget was tight. How does that play into Halyna Hutchins death?
- Judge Dismisses Alec Baldwin Case: Here’s What to Know
Mr. Baldwin, who was both a lead actor and one of the producers on “Rust,” had pleaded not guilty to the manslaughter charge and had long denied responsibility for Ms. Hutchins’s death.
Go deeper with Google Headlines on:
Rust resistance in bread wheat
[google_news title=”” keyword=”rust resistance in bread wheat” num_posts=”5″ blurb_length=”0″ show_thumb=”left”]
Go deeper with Bing News on:
Fungal rust diseases
- Why Every Gardener Should Have Baking Soda Stocked And Ready To Use
Baking soda, or sodium bicarbonate, is a household staple with a myriad of uses beyond baking. For gardeners, it's a versatile tool that can address various challenges in the garden. Whether you're ...
- Does Your Hydrangea Have Brown Spots? 3 Tips to Try for a Quick Fix
Brown spots on hydrangea leaves can be caused by fungal disease, pests, and other factors. But those spots can be fixed with these easy tips.
- Gardening: Welcome to August – Don’t let the bugs, diseases and weeds take over
Scales and whiteflies are also active on ornamentals causing sooty mold. Treat with horticultural oil, Merritt or Tempo for control. Chinch bugs, sod webworms and grubs can all damage your St.
- New technology protects crops by testing the air for the DNA of plant diseases
By identifying the DNA in spores floating through the air, it’s hoped a new technology called AirSeq can help farmers to tackle crop diseases more effectively while using fewer chemicals. Airborne DNA ...
- Southern rust found in Kentucky cornfields
EXTENSION CALENDAR The annual Rinse and Return Plastic Pesticide Recycling Program is from 9 to 11 a.m. Wednesday, Sept. 11, at the Hardin County Road Department Garage at 501 Bacon ...
Go deeper with Google Headlines on:
Fungal rust diseases
[google_news title=”” keyword=”fungal rust diseases” num_posts=”5″ blurb_length=”0″ show_thumb=”left”]