Progress 10/01/06 to 09/30/10
Outputs
OUTPUTS: In 2008, work on the project was disseminated in an invited symposium presentation at the 12th Biennial "Molecular and Cellular Biology of Soybean" meeting (Indianapolis, IN), as well as in talks given locally at UW-Madison. In 2009, work on the project was disseminated in a poster presented at the IS-MPMI XIV International Congress, Quebec City, Canada, as well as in talks given locally at UW-Madison. In 2010, work on the project was disseminated in invited talks give to the North Carolina Biotechnology Center (UNC-Chapel Hill, Duke, NC State and five plant biotech corporations), and at Purdue University, University of British Columbia, and a satellite meeting of SCN Researchers held in conjunction with the Soybean Breeder's Workshop. Work was also presented in poster form at the American Phytopathological Society annual meeting, as well as in talks given locally at UW-Madison. PARTICIPANTS: There was a significant training aspect of this project , which generated significant changes in knowledge and action by the participants. Adam Heuberger received and completed his M.S. training by conducting this research, and is now pursuing a Ph.D. at Colorado State University. Two newer graduate students worked on aspects of the project for relatively brief periods (Laura Helft, LRR structure dissection; Amy Briggs, soybean defense responses to infection). David Cook then performed Ph.D. thesis research with support from this project - that work is still in progress. Postdoctoral scientists Dr. Sara Melito and Dr. Teresa Hughes worked on this as well as related projects, and both received more permanent positions as an outcome of their work with us. Undergraduates Nicholas Bankston, Derek Nedveck, Jessica Schaeffer, Max Axler, Cathy Rhee, Sophia Zebell and Kyle Arend also participated, in some cases extensively. We also worked with researchers at partner organizations, most prominently at University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign but also at USDA-ARS, Southern Illinois University, Iowa State University, University of Missouri - Columbia and elsewhere. TARGET AUDIENCES: The research is directed primarily toward plant and nematode researchers, plant breeders, and the plant biotechnology sector. Ultimately, the project results should serve soybean farmers and food consumers as the project addresses soybean resistance to soybean cyst nematode, the pathogen with the greatest negative impact on soybean yields in U.S. agriculture. PROJECT MODIFICATIONS: The project remained focused on soybean resistance to soybean cyst nematode throughout the project period. The original proposal was to work primarily on manipulating LRR domains of the protein product of the gene at the Rhg4 locus that encodes an LRR-kinase. However, we generated evidence that the gene at the soybean Rhg4 locus that encodes an LRR-kinase protein is not the Rhg4 gene that contributes to soybean cyst nematode resistance. This LRR-kinase had been implicated in previous publications and U.S. patents from other research groups. After we obtained negative data regarding the Rhg4 locus LRR-kinase gene (transgenic roots expressing this gene showed no alteration in SCN resistance), and after learning that colleagues at other institutions were obtaining similar negative data, project activities were re-focused toward identifying genes that do in fact impact soybean resistance to soybean cyst nematode.
Impacts
The project provided a significant outcome by generating evidence that the gene at the soybean Rhg4 locus that encodes an LRR-kinase protein is not the Rhg4 gene that contributes to soybean cyst nematode resistance. The LRR-kinase had been implicated in previous publications and U.S. patents from other research groups. After we obtained negative data regarding the Rhg4 locus LRR-kinase gene (transgenic roots expressing this gene showed no alteration in SCN resistance), and after learning that colleagues at other institutions were obtaining similar negative data, project activities were re-focused toward identifying genes that do in fact impact soybean resistance to soybean cyst nematode. Multiple candidate soybean genes were tested using amiRNA-mediated gene silencing in transgenic roots, and while most of the candidates did not exhibit detectable effects on SCN resistance, two candidates emerged with promising results and are being retested, and more genes are in the testing pipeline. This work included collaborative testing of candidate Rhg4 gene identified by a colleague at Southern Illinois University, but much of the work focused on the Rhg1 locus. Another significant outcome was the development of refined methods for testing of genes for their impacts on SCN infections, in transgenic soybean roots, including development of vectors and initial uses of amiRNA gene silencing technologies in soybean.
Publications
- Melito, S., A.L. Heuberger, D. Cook, B.W. Diers, A.E. MacGuidwin and A.F. Bent, 2010. A nematode demographics assay in transgenic roots reveals no significant impacts of the Rhg1 locus LRR-Kinase on soybean cyst nematode resistance. BMC Plant Biology 10:104.
- Kim, M., D.L. Hyten, A.F. Bent and B.W. Diers, 2010. Fine mapping of the SCN resistance locus rhg1-b from PI 88788. Plant Genome 3:81-89.
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Progress 01/01/09 to 12/31/09
Outputs
OUTPUTS: Work on the project was disseminated in a poster presented at the IS-MPMI XIV International Congress, Quebec City, Canada, as well as in talks given locally at UW-Madison. PARTICIPANTS: David Cook performed Ph.D. thesis research with support from this project. Undergraduates Jess Schaeffer, Max Axler, Kyle Arend and Cathy Rhee also contributed. TARGET AUDIENCES: The research is directed primarily toward plant and nematode researchers, plant breeders, and the plant biotechnology sector. PROJECT MODIFICATIONS: Nothing significant to report during this reporting period.
Impacts
After we obtained negative data regarding the Rhg4 locus LRR-kinase gene (transgenic roots expressing this gene showed no alteration in SCN resistance), and after learning that colleagues at other institutions were obtaining similar negative data, project activities were re-focused toward identifying genes that do in fact impact soybean resistance to soybean cyst nematode. Multiple candidate soybean genes were tested using amiRNA-mediated gene silencing in transgenic roots, and while most of the candidates did not exhibit detectable effects on SCN resistance, two candidates emerged with promising results and are being retested, and more genes are in the testing pipeline.
Publications
- No publications reported this period
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Progress 01/01/08 to 12/31/08
Outputs
OUTPUTS: The work on the project was disseminated in an invited symposium presentation at the 12th Biennial "Molecular and Cellular Biology of Soybean" meeting (Indianapolis, IN), as well as in talks given locally at UW-Madison. PARTICIPANTS: Adam Heuberger received and completed his M.S. training by conducting this research. In addition, two newer graduate students worked on aspects of the project (Laura Helft, LRR structure dissection; Amy Briggs, soybean defense responses to infection). Undergraduates Nicholas Bankston and Derek Nedveck also participated. TARGET AUDIENCES: The primary target audience is basic and applied research scientists interested in disease resistance, LRR-RLK proteins, nematology, plant productivity, and/or soybean breeding. PROJECT MODIFICATIONS: As noted above, the project provided a significant outcome by generating evidence that the gene at the soybean Rhg4 locus that encodes an LRR-kinase protein is not the Rhg4 gene that contributes to soybean cyst nematode resistance. The LRR-kinase had been implicated in previous publications and U.S. patents from other research groups. This remains under investigation, and project activities were re-focused toward identifying genes that do in fact impact soybean resistance to soybean cyst nematode.
Impacts
The project provided a significant outcome by generating evidence that the gene at the soybean Rhg4 locus that encodes an LRR-kinase protein is not the Rhg4 gene that contributes to soybean cyst nematode resistance. The LRR-kinase had been implicated in previous publications and U.S. patents from other research groups. This remains under investigation, and project activities were re-focused toward identifying genes that do in fact impact soybean resistance to soybean cyst nematode.
Publications
- No publications reported this period
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