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Abstract
NB-LRR-type disease resistance (R) genes have been used in traditional breeding programs for crop protection. However, functional transfer of NB-LRR-type R genes to plants in taxonomically distinct families to establish pathogen resistance has not been successful. Here we demonstrate that a pair of Arabidopsis (Brassicaceae) NB-LRR-type R genes, RPS4 and RRS1, properly function in two other Brassicaceae, Brassica rapa and B. napus, but also in two Solanaceae, Nicotiana benthamiana and tomato (Solanum lycopersicum). The solanaceous plants transformed with RPS4/RRS1 confer bacterial effector-specific immunity responses. Furthermore, RPS4 and RRS1, which confer resistance to a fungal pathogen Colletotrichum higginsianum in Brassicaceae, also protect against Colletotrichum orbiculare in cucumber (Cucurbitaceae). Thus the successful transfer of two R genes at the family level overcomes restricted taxonomic functionality. This implies that the downstream components of R genes must be highly conserved and interfamily utilization of R genes can be a powerful strategy to combat pathogens.
Disclosure of Potential Conflicts of Interest
No potential conflicts of interest were disclosed.
Acknowledgments
This work was supported by the Programme for Promotion of Basic and Applied Researches for Innovations in Bio-oriented Industry to K.S., Y.Tak., Y.Nar. and by Grant-in-Aid for Scientific Research (KAKENHI) (21580060 to Y.Nar., 21780038 to M.N. and 19678001 to K.S.). We thank Mariko Miyashita, Yoko Iwasaki and Yasuyo Katayama for their excellent technical assistance and Tsuyoshi Nakagawa (Shimane University) for kindly providing pGWB1. The tomato resources used in this research were provided by the National BioResource Project (NBRP), Japanese Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology (MEXT), Japan. The production of transgenic tomato plants was supported by the RIKEN Plant Transformation Network.