Multigenic resistance to Xylella fastidiosa in wild grapes (Vitis sps.) and its implications within a changing climate

Authors: MORALES-CRUZ, ABRAHAM - University Of California Irvine; AGUIRRE-LIGUORI, JONAS - University Of California Irvine; MASSONNET, MELANIE - University Of California, Davis; MINIO, ANDREA - University Of California, Davis; ZACCHEO, MIRELLA - University Of California, Davis; COCHETEL, NOE - University Of California, Davis; WALKER, ANDREW - University Of California, Davis; Riaz, Summaira; ZHOU, YONGFENT - Chinese Academy Of Agricultural Sciences; CANTU, DARIO - University Of California, Davis; GAUT, BRANDON - University Of California Irvine

Submitted to: Communications Biology
Publication Type: Peer Reviewed Journal
Publication Acceptance Date: 5/12/2023
Publication Date: 5/30/2023
Citation: Morales-Cruz, A., Aguirre-Liguori, J., Massonnet, M., Minio, A., Zaccheo, M., Cochetel, N., Walker, A., Riaz, S., Zhou, Y., Cantu, D., Gaut, B.S. 2023. Multigenic resistance to Xylella fastidiosa in wild grapes (Vitis sps.) and its implications within a changing climate. Communications Biology. 6. Article 580. https://doi.org/10.1038/s42003-023-04938-4.
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1038/s42003-023-04938-4

Interpretive Summary: Xylella fastidiosa infects major crops such as grapevines, coffee, citrus and olives. In this study, we identified the genetic basis of resistance to X. fastidiosa in a wild grapevine species and found that resistance is multigenic, mediated by immune response genes, and demonstrates a clear climate bias against colder regions.

Technical Abstract: Xylella fastidiosa is a bacterium that infects crops like grapevines, coffee, almonds, citrus and olives. There is little understanding of the genes that contribute to plant resistance, the genomic architecture of resistance, and the potential role of climate in shaping resistance, in part because major crops like grapevines (Vitis vinifera) are not resistant to the bacterium. Here we study a wild grapevine species, V. arizonica, that segregates for resistance. Using genome-wide association, we identify candidate resistance genes. Resistance-associated kmers are shared with a sister species of V. arizonica but not with more distant species, suggesting that resistance evolved more than once. Finally, resistance is climate dependent, because individuals from low ('<'10'°C) temperature locations in the wettest quarter were typically susceptible to infection, likely reflecting a lack of pathogen pressure in colder climates. In fact, climate is as effective a predictor of resistance phenotypes as some genetic markers. We extend our climate observations to additional crops, predicting that increased pathogen pressure is more likely for grapevines and almonds than some other susceptible crops.