biostudies-literatureYu GDeutsche ForschungsgemeinschaftDaimler und Benz StiftungRCUK | Biotechnology and Biological Sciences Research CouncilGordon and Betty Moore FoundationBiotechnology and Biological Sciences Research CouncilKAUST | Global Collaborative Research, King Abdullah University of Science and TechnologyGatsby Charitable Foundation921-926https://www.ebi.ac.uk/biostudies/studies/S-EPMC10260397biostudies-literatureUnknown55(6)To safeguard bread wheat against pests and diseases, breeders have introduced over 200 resistance genes into its genome, thus nearly doubling the number of designated resistance genes in the wheat gene pool¹. Isolating these genes facilitates their fast-tracking in breeding programs and incorporation into polygene stacks for more durable resistance. We cloned the stem rust resistance gene Sr43, which was crossed into bread wheat from the wild grass Thinopyrum elongatum^2,3. Sr43 encodes an active protein kinase fused to two domains of unknown function. The gene, which is unique to the Triticeae, appears to have arisen through a gene fusion event 6.7 to 11.6 million years ago. Transgenic expression of Sr43 in wheat conferred high levels of resistance to a wide range of Nature geneticsThe wheat stem rust resistance gene Sr43 encodes an unusual protein kinase.PMC10260397390686111BBS/E/J/000PR9780GBMF47254093/1-1Hayta SBartos JYu GJohnson RSaur IMMolnar ISteffenson BJJones JDGHirt HWulff BBHNurnberger TReuber TLDolezel JWu SBlilou IJaremko LRonen MRayapuram NCrean EEHarwood WMatny OAljedaani FRSteuernagel BRouse MNGourdoupis SSharon AWang YLPoland JKarafiatova MKangara NPatpour MXu SGardener CYue YHolusova KSmedley MfalseThe wheat stem rust resistance gene Sr43 encodes an unusual protein kinase.To safeguard bread wheat against pests and diseases, breeders have introduced over 200 resistance genes into its genome, thus nearly doubling the number of designated resistance genes in the wheat gene pool¹. Isolating these genes facilitates their fast-tracking in breeding programs and incorporation into polygene stacks for more durable resistance. We cloned the stem rust resistance gene Sr43, which was crossed into bread wheat from the wild grass Thinopyrum elongatum^2,3. Sr43 encodes an active protein kinase fused to two domains of unknown function. The gene, which is unique to the Triticeae, appears to have arisen through a gene fusion event 6.7 to 11.6 million years ago. Transgenic expression of Sr43 in wheat conferred high levels of resistance to a wide range of 2023-01-01T00:00:00Z2023 Jun2025-04-26T13:01:30.623Z2025-02-18T23:26:18.972ZS-EPMC102603973721771410.1038/s41588-023-01402-1