OsGF14e positively regulates panicle blast resistance in rice

Though GF14e has been reported to negatively regulate bacterial blight and sheath blight resistance in rice, its effect on panicle blast, the most destructive disease in rice is still unknown. In the present study, we identified that GF14e was highly expressed in panicles and was induced in panicles infected by blast pathogen. Overexpression of GF14e enhances resistance to panicle blast whereas silencing GF14e results in increased susceptibility to panicle blast, suggesting that GF14e plays a positive role in quantitative panicle blast resistance in rice. Our results also demonstrate that GF14e is regulated by WRKY71 and GF14e-mediated panicle blast resistance is related to activation of SA-dependent pathway and suppression of JA-dependent pathway. The functional confirmation of GF14e in panicle blast resistance makes it to be a promising target in molecular rice breeding.