Molecular characterization of a gene induced during wheat hypersensitive reaction to stripe rust

Abstract

A novel gene induced during hypersensitive reaction (HIR) in wheat was identified using in silico cloning and designated as TaHIR2. The TaHIR2 gene was deduced to encode a 284-amino acid protein, whose molecular mass and isoelectric point (pI) were 31. 05 kD and 5. 18, respectively. Amino acid sequence analysis demonstrated the presence of stomatins, prohibitin, flotillins, HflK/C (SPFH) domain and prohibitin homologue for the TaHIR2 protein. Phylogenetic analysis of 13 HIR genes from different monocots indicated that TaHIR2 was highly homologous to HvHIR2. Transient expression analysis using particle-mediated bombardment showed that the TaHIR2 fusion protein was located in the onion epidermal cells. Quantitative RT-PCR analyses revealed that TaHIR2 transcripts were significantly accumulated in adult wheat leaves with maximum induction at 18 h post inoculation with the stripe rust, whereas slightly up-regulation could also be observed in the compatible reaction at the seedling stage. These results suggest that TaHIR2 may play an active role in wheat defense against stripe rust. © 2011 Springer Science+Business Media B.V.