Insight into a region of chickpea (Cicer arietinum L.) Chromosome 2 revealed potential candidate genes linked to Foc4 Fusarium wilt resistance.

Two markers on Chromosome 2 of chickpea (Cicer arietinum ) are reportedly associated with resistance to race 4 Fusarium wilt, and are frequently used in breeding. However, the genes in this region that actually confer wilt resistance are unknown. We aimed to characterise them using both in silico approaches and marker trait association (MTA) analysis. Of the 225 protein-encoding genes in this region, 51 showed significant differential expression in two contrasting chickpea genotypes under wilt, with potential involvement in stress response. From a diverse set of 244 chickpea genotypes, two sets of 40 resistant and 40 susceptible genotypes were selected based on disease incidence and amplification pattern of the TA59 marker. All cultivars were further genotyped with 1238 single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) specific to the 51 genes; only seven SNPs were significantly correlated with disease. SNP Ca2_24099002, specific to the LOC101498008 (Transmembrane protein 87A) gene, accounted for the highest phenotypic variance for disease incidence at 16.30%, whereas SNPs Ca2_25166118 and Ca2_27029215, specific to the LOC101494644 (ß-glucosidase BoGH3B-like) and LOC101505289 (Putative tRNA pseudouridine synthase) genes, explained 10.51% and 10.50% of the variation, respectively, in the sets with contrasting disease susceptibility. Together with the TA59 and TR19 markers, these SNPs can be used in a chickpea breeding scheme to develop wilt resistance.

The stress-regulatory transcription factors Msn2 and Msn4 regulate fatty acid oxidation in budding yeast.

The transcription factors Msn2 and Msn4 (multicopy suppressor of SNF1 mutation proteins 2 and 4) bind the stress-response element in gene promoters in the yeast Saccharomyces cerevisiae However, the roles of Msn2/4 in primary metabolic pathways such as fatty acid ß-oxidation are unclear. Here, in silico analysis revealed that the promoters of most genes involved in the biogenesis, function, and regulation of the peroxisome contain Msn2/4-binding sites. We also found that transcript levels of MSN2/MSN4 are increased in glucose-depletion conditions and that during growth in nonpreferred carbon sources, Msn2 is constantly localized to the nucleus in wild-type cells. Of note, the double mutant msn2Δmsn4Δ exhibited a severe growth defect when grown with oleic acid as the sole carbon source and had reduced transcript levels of major ß-oxidation genes. ChIP indicated that Msn2 has increased occupancy on the promoters of ß-oxidation genes in glucose-depleted conditions, and in vivo reporter gene analysis indicated reduced expression of these genes in msn2Δmsn4Δ cells. Moreover, mobility shift assays revealed that Msn4 binds ß-oxidation gene promoters. Immunofluorescence microscopy with anti-peroxisome membrane protein antibodies disclosed that the msn2Δmsn4Δ strain had fewer peroxisomes than the wild type, and lipid analysis indicated that the msn2Δmsn4Δ strain had increased triacylglycerol and steryl ester levels. Collectively, our data suggest that Msn2/Msn4 transcription factors activate expression of the genes involved in fatty acid oxidation. Because glucose sensing, signaling, and fatty acid ß-oxidation pathways are evolutionarily conserved throughout eukaryotes, the msn2Δmsn4Δ strain could therefore be a good model system for further study of these critical processes.

Human alpha beta hydrolase domain containing protein 11 and its yeast homolog are lipid hydrolases.

Mammalian alpha/beta hydrolase domain (ABHD) family of proteins have emerged as key regulators of lipid metabolism and are found to be associated with human diseases. Human α/ß-hydrolase domain containing protein 11 (ABHD11) has recently been predicted as a potential biomarker for human lung adenocarcinoma. In silico analyses of the ABHD11 protein sequence revealed the presence of a conserved lipase motif GXSXG. However, the role of ABHD11 in lipid metabolism is not known. To understand the biological function of ABHD11, we heterologously expressed the human ABHD11 in budding yeast, Saccharomyces cerevisiae. In vivo [14C]acetate labeling of cellular lipids in yeast cells overexpressing ABHD11 showed a decrease in triacylglycerol content. Overexpression of ABHD11 also alters the molecular species of triacylglycerol in yeast. Similar activity was observed in its yeast homolog, Ygr031w. The role of the conserved lipase motif in the hydrolase activity was proven by the mutation of all conserved amino acid residues of GXSXG motif. Collectively, our results demonstrate that human ABHD11 and its yeast homolog YGR031W have a pivotal role in the lipid metabolism.

Molecular Screening of Blast Resistance Genes in Rice using SSR Markers.

Rice Blast is the most devastating disease causing major yield losses in every year worldwide. It had been proved that using resistant rice varieties would be the most effective way to control this disease. Molecular screening and genetic diversities of major rice blast resistance genes were determined in 192 rice germplasm accessions using simple sequence repeat (SSR) markers. The genetic frequencies of the 10 major rice blast resistance genes varied from 19.79% to 54.69%. Seven accessions IC337593, IC346002, IC346004, IC346813, IC356117, IC356422 and IC383441 had maximum eight blast resistance gene, while FR13B, Hourakani, Kala Rata 1-24, Lemont, Brown Gora, IR87756-20-2-2-3, IC282418, IC356419, PKSLGR-1 and PKSLGR-39 had seven blast resistance genes. Twenty accessions possessed six genes, 36 accessions had five genes, 41 accessions had four genes, 38 accessions had three genes, 26 accessions had two genes, 13 accessions had single R gene and only one accession IC438644 does not possess any one blast resistant gene. Out of 192 accessions only 17 accessions harboured 7 to 8 blast resistance genes.