Gene Resistant to Ug99 Pathogen Found

Researchers from the University of California, Davis and Kansas State University have identified a gene that makes wheat plants resistant to the deadly wheat stem rust pathogen Ug99. The researchers selected the resistance gene Sr35 for its immunity to Ug99 and related races. Sr35 is present in the wheat species Triticum monococcum, a close relative of pasta and bread wheat.

Eduard Akhunov, associate professor of plant pathology at Kansas State University said, "This gene, Sr35, functions as a key component of plants' immune system. It recognizes the invading pathogen and triggers a response in the plant to fight the disease." The researchers worked on einkorn wheat, a Mediterranean wheat known to be resistant to Ug99. When the candidate gene was identified, researchers isolated it and developed transgenic plants carrying the Sr35 gene and showing resistance to the Ug99 race of stem rust.

Akhunov and his colleagues are now working to identify the proteins that are transferred by the fungus into wheat plants and recognized by the protein encoded by the Sr35 gene. This will give researchers a better understanding of molecular mechanisms behind infection and develop new approaches for controlling this devastating pathogen.

The abstract of the team's study published by the journal Science is available at: http://www.sciencemag.org/content/early/2013/06/26/science.1239022. The news releases from UC Davis and Kansas University are available at: http://www.k-state.edu/media/newsreleases/jun13/sr3562713.html and http://news.ucdavis.edu/search/news_detail.lasso?id=10644.