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ARS Home » Southeast Area » Stuttgart, Arkansas » Dale Bumpers National Rice Research Center » Research » Publications at this Location » Publication #269229
Title: Structure, Function, Interaction, Co-evolution of Rice Blast Resistance Genes

Author
item ROYCHOWDHURY, MOYTRI - University Of Arkansas
item Jia, Yulin
item CARTWRIGHT, RICHARD - University Of Arkansas

Submitted to: Acta Agronomica Sinica
Publication Type: Peer Reviewed Journal
Publication Acceptance Date: 12/19/2011
Publication Date: 3/1/2012
Citation: Roychowdhury, M., Jia, Y., Cartwright, R.D. 2012. Structure, function, interaction, co-evolution of rice blast resistance genes. Acta Agronomica Sinica. 38: 381-393.

Interpretive Summary: Rice blast disease (RBD) caused by the fungal pathogen Magnaporthe oryzae is one of the most destructive rice diseases worldwide. Major resistance (R) genes to RBD have been used to prevent crop losses by conventional plant breeding. Some of these major R genes have been tagged with DNA markers, and dozen of them were recently molecularly characterized and their functions in resistance have been better understood. This review summarizes current understanding of molecular mechanisms of resistance mediated by major blast R genes and an update of blast major R genes available for breeding and crop protection.

Technical Abstract: Rice blast disease caused by the fungal pathogen Magnaporthe oryzae is one of the most destructive rice diseases worldwide. Resistance (R) genes to blast encode proteins that detect pathogen signaling molecules encoded by M. oryzae avirulence (AVR) genes. R genes can be a single or a member of clustered gene families that have evolved through duplication and diversification. Recent advances in blast R gene cloning and subsequent characterization have provided useful insights into R gene mediated signaling transduction pathways. This review summarizes recent advances in cloning and characterization of blast R genes, and presents an update on evolutionary dynamics of R proteins, their interaction, co-evolution with the signaling molecules encoded by the AVR genes, and potential implications for crop protection.