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ARS Home » Southeast Area » Raleigh, North Carolina » Plant Science Research » Research » Publications at this Location » Publication #391871
Research Project: Genetics of Disease Resistance and Food Quality Traits in Corn

Location: Plant Science Research

Title: A leucine rich repeat receptor-like kinase gene confers susceptibility to southern leaf blight of maize

Author
item CHEN, CHUAN - Northwest A&f University
item ZHAO, YAQI - Northwest A&f University
item TABOR, GIRMA - Corteva Agriscience
item NIAN, HUIQIN - Northwest A&f University
item PHILLIPS, JOANIE - Corteva Agriscience
item WOLTERS, PETRA - Corteva Agriscience
item YANG, QIN - North Carolina State University
item Balint-Kurti, Peter

Submitted to: New Phytologist
Publication Type: Peer Reviewed Journal
Publication Acceptance Date: 12/1/2022
Publication Date: 1/31/2023
Citation: Chen, C., Zhao, Y., Tabor, G., Nian, H., Phillips, J., Wolters, P., Yang, Q., Balint Kurti, P.J. 2023. A leucine rich repeat receptor-like kinase gene confers susceptibility to southern leaf blight of maize. New Phytologist. 238:1182-1197. https://doi.org/10.1111/nph.18781.
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1111/nph.18781

Interpretive Summary: We have identified a gene that confers susceptibility to an important leaf disease of maize call southern leaf blight. The gene encodes a so-call ‘Leucine-rich receptor protein kinase’ protein that is predicted to act to perceive signals outside the cell and induce a response inside the cell. This is the first gene of this type identified in maize that confers disease susceptibility.

Technical Abstract: Southern leaf blight (SLB), caused by the necrotrophic fungal pathogen Cochliobolus heterostrophus (anamorph Bipolaris maydis), is a major foliar disease which causes significant yield losses in maize worldwide. A major quantitative trait locus, qSLB3.04, conferring recessive resistance to SLB was previously mapped on maize chromosome 3. Using a combination of map-based cloning, association analysis, ethyl methanesulfonate and transposon mutagenesis, and CRISPR-Cas9 editing, we demonstrate that a leucine-rich repeat receptor-like kinase gene which we have called ChSK1 (Cochliobolus heterostrophus Susceptibility Kinase 1) at qSLB3.04 causes increased susceptibility to SLB. Genes of this type have generally been associated with the defense response. We present evidence that ChSK1 may be associated with suppression of the basal immune response. These findings contribute to our understanding of plant disease susceptibility genes and the potential to use them for engineering durable disease resistance.