Gene from Wild Grapevine Involved in Powdery Mildew Response in Transgenic Grapevine

Ubiquitination plays important roles in disease resistance in plants. Lingmin Dai of Northwest A&F University in China identified and characterized the RING-type ubiquitin ligase gene, VpUR9, from the powdery mildew resistant Chinese wild grapevine (Vitis pseudoreticulata). The results are published in Plant Cell Tissue and Organ Culture.

The gene was found to be induced in response to powdery mildew disease and salicylic acid. VpUR9 gene was cloned and transformed into the powdery-mildew susceptible grape (Vitis vinifera L.) variety Red Globe. Twelve transgenic lines containing the gene were generated, but were found to be susceptible to powdery-mildew. Furthermore, the expression of some disease-resistant related genes of  this variety also declined compared with wild type grapes when inoculated with powdery mildew or salicylic acid.

These results suggest that the VpUR9 gene may have negatively regulated the resistance of transgenic Red Globe to powdery mildew by changing the SA-dependent and the MeJA-dependent defense pathways.

For more on this study, read the article in Plant Cell Tissue and Organ Culture.