Engineering Cercospora disease resistance via expression of Cercospora nicotianae cercosporin-resistance genes and silencing of cercosporin production in tobacco.

ABSTRACT: Fungi in the genus Cercospora cause crop losses world-wide on many crop species. The wide host range and success of these pathogens has been attributed to the production of a photoactivated toxin, cercosporin. We engineered tobacco for resistance to Cercospora nicotianae utilizing two strategies: 1) transformation with cercosporin autoresistance genes isolated from the fungus, and 2) transformation with constructs to silence the production of cercosporin during disease development. Three C. nicotianae cercosporin autoresistance genes were tested: ATR1 and CFP, encoding an ABC and an MFS transporter, respectively, and 71cR, which encodes a hypothetical protein. Resistance to the pathogen was identified in transgenic lines expressing ATR1 and 71cR, but not in lines transformed with CFP. Sile

SUBMITTER: Thomas E 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC7075572 | biostudies-literature | 2020

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature