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Identification of the Genes Involved in Stomatal Development via Epidermal Phenotype Scoring
Published on: January 20, 2023
Two Sugarcane Expansin Protein-Coding Genes Contribute to Stomatal Aperture Associated with Structural Resistance to
Zongling Liu1,2, Zhuoxin Yu1, Xiufang Li1
1State Key Laboratory for Conservation and Utilization of Subtropical Agro-Bioresources, College of Life Science and Technology, Guangxi University, Nanning 530004, China.
Sugarcane smut resistance involves structural factors, particularly stomatal characteristics. Certain Expansin genes influence stomatal aperture, offering potential for breeding disease-resistant sugarcane varieties.
Area of Science:
- Plant Pathology
- Molecular Biology
- Agronomy
Background:
- Sugarcane smut, caused by *Sporisorium scitamineum*, significantly reduces crop yield.
- Resistance mechanisms include structural, biochemical, and physiological factors, with structural resistance being understudied.
- Stomata play a crucial role in plant-pathogen interactions and disease development.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the role of structural resistance in sugarcane smut.
- To identify genetic factors influencing stomatal characteristics related to smut resistance.
- To explore the potential of sugarcane Expansin genes in disease resistance breeding.
Main Methods:
- Comparative analysis of sugarcane varieties (ZZ9 and GT42) under different inoculation methods.
- Assessment of stomatal aperture and density in resistant and susceptible varieties.
- RNA sequencing of sugarcane buds to identify and characterize Expansin genes.
Main Results:
- Sugarcane variety ZZ9 exhibited structural resistance to smut.
- Smut-susceptible varieties (ROC22, GT42) had higher stomatal aperture and density than resistant varieties (ZZ1, ZZ6, ZZ9).
- Two sugarcane Expansin genes (c111037.graph_c0 and c113583.graph_c0) were identified to increase stomatal aperture.
Conclusions:
- Sugarcane stomata, particularly their aperture and density, are key components of structural resistance to smut.
- The identified Expansin genes contribute to stomatal regulation and represent potential targets for enhancing sugarcane smut resistance.
- Findings provide insights for developing disease-resistant sugarcane through genetic improvement.
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