Potato R1 resistance gene confers resistance against Phytophthora infestans in transgenic tomato plants

• Published in: European journal of plant pathology Vol. 128; no. 2; pp. 233 - 241
• Main Authors: Faino, Luigi, Carli, Paola, Testa, Antonino, Cristinzio, Gennaro, Frusciante, Luigi, Ercolano, Maria Raffaella
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Dordrecht Springer Netherlands 01.10.2010; Springer; Springer Nature B.V
• Subjects: Agriculture; Biological and medical sciences; Biomedical and Life Sciences; copy number; dna fragments; Ecology; efficient; expression; Fundamental and applied biological sciences. Psychology; Fungal plant pathogens; Gene expression; late blight resistance; Life Sciences; Lycopersicon esculentum; mosaic-virus; Pathogens; Phytopathology. Animal pests. Plant and forest protection; Plant Pathology; Plant resistance; Plant Sciences; Proteins; real-time pcr; tobacco; Tomatoes; transformation; Transgenic plants; zygosity; Late blight; Transformation; Heterologue system; PR proteins; Disease resistance gene; Stramenopila; Plant pathology; Plant pathogen; Solanum tuberosum; Oomycota; Protein; Resistance; Vegetable crop; Gene; Dicotyledones; Angiospermae; Lycopersicon esculentum; Phytophthora infestans; Spermatophyta; Transgenic plant; Tuber plant; Solanaceae
• ISSN: 0929-1873; 1573-8469
• DOI: 10.1007/s10658-010-9649-2

Tomato is challenged by several pathogens which cause loss of production. One such pathogen is the oomycete Phytophthora infestans which is able to attack all the aerial parts of the plant. Although a wide range of resistance sources are available, genetic control of this disease is not yet successful. Pyramiding R-genes through genetic transformation could be a straightforward way to produce tomato and potato lines carrying durable resistance to P. infestans . In this work the R1 potato gene was transferred into tomato lines. The tomato transgenic lines were analyzed by using q-RT-PCR and progeny segregation to determine the gene copy number. To test the hypothesis that R1 represents a specifically regulated R-gene, transgenic tomato plants were inoculated with P. infestans isolate 88133 and IPO. All the plants containing the R1 gene were resistant to the late blight isolate IPO-0 and susceptible to isolate 88133. These results provide evidence for specific activation of the R1 gene during pathogen challenge. Furthermore, evidence for enhancement of PR-1 gene expression during P. infestans resistance response was obtained.