Plant disease resistance is augmented in uzu barley lines modified in the brassinosteroid receptor BRI1.

ABSTRACT:

Background

Brassinosteroid hormones regulate many aspects of plant growth and development. The membrane receptor BRI1 is a central player in the brassinosteroid signaling cascade. Semi-dwarf 'uzu' barley carries a mutation in a conserved domain of the kinase tail of BRI1 and this mutant allele is recognised for its positive contribution to both yield and lodging resistance.

Results

Here we show that uzu barley exhibits enhanced resistance to a range of pathogens. It was due to a combination of preformed, inducible and constitutive defence responses, as determined by a combination of transcriptomic and biochemical studies. Gene expression studies were used to determine that the uzu derivatives are attenuated in downstream brassinosteroid signaling. The reduction of BRI1 RNA l

SUBMITTER: Ali SS 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC4158134 | biostudies-literature | 2014 Aug

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature