TAL effector driven induction of a SWEET gene confers susceptibility to bacterial blight of cotton

Kevin L. Cox, Fanhong Meng, Katherine E. Wilkins, Fangjun Li, Ping Wang, Nicholas J. Booher, Sara C. D. Carpenter, Li-Qing Chen, Hui Zheng, Xiquan Gao, Yi Zheng, Zhangjun Fei, John Z. Yu, Thomas Isakeit, Terry Wheeler, Wolf B. Frommer, Ping He, Adam J. Bogdanove () and Libo Shan ()
Additional contact information
Kevin L. Cox: Texas A&M University
Fanhong Meng: Texas A&M University
Katherine E. Wilkins: Plant Pathology and Plant-Microbe Biology Section, School of Integrative Plant Science, Cornell University
Fangjun Li: Texas A&M University
Ping Wang: Texas A&M University
Nicholas J. Booher: Plant Pathology and Plant-Microbe Biology Section, School of Integrative Plant Science, Cornell University
Sara C. D. Carpenter: Plant Pathology and Plant-Microbe Biology Section, School of Integrative Plant Science, Cornell University
Li-Qing Chen: School of Integrative Biology, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign
Hui Zheng: Plant Pathology and Plant-Microbe Biology Section, School of Integrative Plant Science, Cornell University
Xiquan Gao: Institute for Plant Genomics and Biotechnology, Texas A&M University
Yi Zheng: Boyce Thompson Institute, Cornell University
Zhangjun Fei: Boyce Thompson Institute, Cornell University
John Z. Yu: USDA-ARS, Southern Plains Agricultural Research Center
Thomas Isakeit: Texas A&M University
Terry Wheeler: Texas A&M University
Wolf B. Frommer: Carnegie Science
Ping He: Institute for Plant Genomics and Biotechnology, Texas A&M University
Adam J. Bogdanove: Plant Pathology and Plant-Microbe Biology Section, School of Integrative Plant Science, Cornell University
Libo Shan: Texas A&M University

Nature Communications, 2017, vol. 8, issue 1, 1-14

Abstract: Abstract Transcription activator-like (TAL) effectors from Xanthomonas citri subsp. malvacearum (Xcm) are essential for bacterial blight of cotton (BBC). Here, by combining transcriptome profiling with TAL effector-binding element (EBE) prediction, we show that GhSWEET10, encoding a functional sucrose transporter, is induced by Avrb6, a TAL effector determining Xcm pathogenicity. Activation of GhSWEET10 by designer TAL effectors (dTALEs) restores virulence of Xcm avrb6 deletion strains, whereas silencing of GhSWEET10 compromises cotton susceptibility to infections. A BBC-resistant line carrying an unknown recessive b6 gene bears the same EBE as the susceptible line, but Avrb6-mediated induction of GhSWEET10 is reduced, suggesting a unique mechanism underlying b6-mediated resistance. We show via an extensive survey of GhSWEET transcriptional responsiveness to different Xcm field isolates that additional GhSWEETs may also be involved in BBC. These findings advance our understanding of the disease and resistance in cotton and may facilitate the development cotton with improved resistance to BBC.

Date: 2017
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DOI: 10.1038/ncomms15588

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