The Rp3 disease resistance gene of maize: mapping and characterization of introgressed alleles

The Rp3 locus of maize conditions race-specific resistance to a fungal rust pathogen, Puccinia sorghi. Both morphological and DNA markers were employed to characterize alleles of Rp3 and to accurately position Rp3 on the maize genetic map. DNA marker polymorphisms distinctive to each Rp3 allele were identified, allowing the identification of specific Rp3 alleles in cases where rust races that differentiate particular alleles are not available. In a population of 427 progeny, Rp3 and Rg1 were found to be completely linked, while Lg3 was approximately 3 cM proximal on the long arm of chromosome 3. In this same population, 12 RFLP markers were mapped relative to Rp3; the closest markers were UMC102 (about 1cM distal to Rp1) and NPI114 (1-2 cM proximal). These and additional DNA probes were used to characterize the nature and extent of flanking DNA that was carried along when six different Rp3 alleles were backcrossed into a single background. Depending upon the allele investigated, a minimum of 2-10cM of polymorphic DNA flanking the Rp3 locus was retained through the introgression process. In addition, many of the probes that map near Rp3 were found to detect an additional fragment in the Rp3 region, indicating that portions of this chromosomal segment have been tendemly duplicated. The materials and results generated will permit marker-assisted entry of Rp3 into different maize backgrounds and lay the foundation for the eventual map-based cloning of Rp3.