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ARS Home » Midwest Area » Peoria, Illinois » National Center for Agricultural Utilization Research » Mycotoxin Prevention and Applied Microbiology Research » Research » Publications at this Location » Publication #314840
Title: Transgenic wheat expressing a barley UDP-glucosyltransferase detoxifies deoxynivalenol and provides high levels of resistance to Fusarium graminearum

Author
item LI, XIN - University Of Minnesota
item SHIN, SANGHYUN - University Of Minnesota
item HEINEN, SHANE - University Of Minnesota
item DILL-MACKY, RUTH - University Of Minnesota
item BERTHILLER, FRANZ - University Of Natural Resources & Applied Life Sciences - Austria
item CLEMENTE, THOMAS - University Of Nebraska
item McCormick, Susan
item MUEHLBAUER, GARY - University Of Minnesota

Submitted to: Molecular Plant-Microbe Interactions
Publication Type: Peer Reviewed Journal
Publication Acceptance Date: 7/22/2015
Publication Date: 11/15/2015
Publication URL: http://handle.nal.usda.gov/10113/62298
Citation: Li, X., Shin, S., Heinen, S., Dill-Macky, R., Berthiller, F., Nersesian, N., Clemente, T., McCormick, S., Muehlbauer, G.J. 2015. Transgenic wheat expressing a barley UDP-glucosyltransferase detoxifies deoxynivalenol and provides high levels of resistance to Fusarium graminearum. Molecular Plant-Microbe Interactions. 28(11):1237-1246.

Interpretive Summary: In this research we found that a barley gene may help to control Fusarium head blight (FHB). FHB, caused by the fungus Fusarium graminearum, is a devastating disease of small grain cereal crops that causes yield reductions and contamination of grain with the trichothecene mycotoxin deoxynivalenol (DON). DON is harmful to the health of humans and livestock because of its ability to block protein synthesis. It is also an important virulence factor for FHB, therefore making plants that have greater resistance to DON is a way of improving resistance to the disease. In the study, a gene from barley for an enzyme that detoxifies DON was introduced into two susceptible wheat lines. Wheat that expressed this barley gene was significantly more resistant to DON, FHB, and crown rot. This barley gene is a promising candidate for novel approaches to improve food safety and crop production by enhancing the Fusarium resistance of crop plants.

Technical Abstract: Fusarium head blight (FHB), mainly caused by Fusarium graminearum, is a devastating disease of wheat and barley that results in huge economic losses worldwide. During infection, F. graminearum produces trichothecene mycotoxins, such as deoxynivalenol (DON), that increase fungal virulence and decrease grain quality. A barley UDP-glucosyltransferase gene, HvUGT13248 was transformed into wheat and tested for FHB and DON resistance and the ability to convert DON to the less toxic DON-3-O-glucoside (D3G). Point inoculation tests in the greenhouse showed that the transgenic wheat carrying HvUGT13248 exhibited significantly higher type II resistance compared to the nontransgenic control. The FHB severity on the transgenic lines was reduced by up to 91% compared to the nontransgenic control, several transgenic lines showed complete suppression of disease spread in the spikes. HvUGT13248 acts in the wheat transgenics via rapid and efficient conjugation of DON to D3G, demonstrating that the rate and amount of DON detoxification leads to type II resistance. Moreover, although the field tests exhibited variable results overall the transgenic wheat lines also showed significantly less severe disease phenotypes, a decrease in DON concentration, and an increase in D3G accumulation compared to the nontransgenic controls. Seedlings of the transgenic lines also showed higher tolerance to DON-inhibited root growth than nontransgenic plants, indicating that DON detoxification may be useful for crown rot caused by other DON-producing Fusarium species. These results demonstrate the utility of detoxifying DON as an FHB control strategy in wheat.