Fine-Tuning of PR Genes in Wheat Responding to Different Puccinia Rust Species

Fine-Tuning of PR Genes in Wheat Responding to Different Puccinia Rust Species

Upregulation of pathogenesis-related genes (PRs) has been found to be associated with plant defense response. To better understand the role of PR genes in wheat defense response against rust pathogens, we studied the expression of five PR genes in six wheat lines during their interactions with three Puccinia species. The research revealed three PR gene expression patterns associated with resistance to the three rusts, implying different strategies from the host in response to different rusts. In addition, different PR gene expression patterns were found in the same genetic background when interacting with different races of the same Puccinia species, suggesting different counteractions from the pathogen during infection. Overall, our study revealed fine-tuning of PR genes in wheat responding to different Puccinia rust species, implicating the limitation of defense when only overexpressing a single PR gene in the host.