Barley MLA3 recognizes the host-specificity effector Pwl2 from Magnaporthe oryzae

Helen J. Brabham, Diana Gómez De La Cruz, Vincent Were, Motoki Shimizu, Hiromasa Saitoh, Inmaculada Hernández-Pinzón, Phon Green, Jennifer Lorang, Koki Fujisaki, Kazuhiro Sato, István Molnár, Hana Šimková, Jaroslav Doležel, James Russell, Jodie Taylor, Matthew Smoker, Yogesh Kumar Gupta, Tom Wolpert, Nicholas J. Talbot, Ryohei TerauchiMatthew J. Moscou

Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

7 Citations (Scopus)

Abstract

Plant nucleotide-binding leucine-rich repeat (NLRs) immune receptors directly or indirectly recognize pathogen-secreted effector molecules to initiate plant defense. Recognition of multiple pathogens by a single NLR is rare and usually occurs via monitoring for changes to host proteins; few characterized NLRs have been shown to recognize multiple effectors. The barley (Hordeum vulgare) NLR gene Mildew locus a (Mla) has undergone functional diversification, and the proteins encoded by different Mla alleles recognize host-adapted isolates of barley powdery mildew (Blumeria graminis f. sp. hordei [Bgh]). Here, we show that Mla3 also confers resistance to the rice blast fungus Magnaporthe oryzae in a dosage-dependent manner. Using a forward genetic screen, we discovered that the recognized effector from M. oryzae is Pathogenicity toward Weeping Lovegrass 2 (Pwl2), a host range determinant factor that prevents M. oryzae from infecting weeping lovegrass (Eragrostis curvula). Mla3 has therefore convergently evolved the capacity to recognize effectors from diverse pathogens.

Original languageEnglish
Pages (from-to)447-470
Number of pages24
JournalThe Plant Cell
Volume36
Issue number2
Early online date11 Oct 2023
DOIs
Publication statusPublished - Feb 2024

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