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Quantitative fitness effects of infection in a gene‐for‐gene system
Author(s) -
Gao Liping,
Roux Fabrice,
Bergelson Joy
Publication year - 2009
Publication title -
new phytologist
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 3.742
H-Index - 244
eISSN - 1469-8137
pISSN - 0028-646X
DOI - 10.1111/j.1469-8137.2009.02959.x
Subject(s) - biology , pseudomonas syringae , resistance (ecology) , accession , gene , arabidopsis thaliana , pathogen , experimental evolution , genetics , strain (injury) , microbiology and biotechnology , botany , mutant , agronomy , anatomy , european union , business , economic policy
Summary• It is often assumed that pathogen infection decreases plant fitness, thereby driving the evolution of plant resistance ( R ) genes. However, the impact of bacterial pathogens on fitness has been shown to be relatively subtle, ranging from positive to negative. • In this study, we focus on the Rps5 ‐mediated resistance in Arabidopsis thaliana and examine the fitness effects of resistance by experimentally infecting resistant ( R ) and susceptible ( S ) plants with a natural avirulent Pseudomonas syringae strain at each of three initial infection dosage levels. Our methodology ensured control of the plant genetic backgrounds; within each of two natural accessions we created isolines varying in the presence or absence of Rps5.• In terms of lifetime fitness, R plants outperformed their S controls by 9.6–32% when infected by a pathogen carrying an associated Avr gene, depending on the initial dosage levels and genetic backgrounds. • We also found that the naturally R line, Col‐0, is more tolerant than the naturally S accession, Ga‐0. The negative impact of infection on fitness was 20% less in Col‐0 than Ga‐0. We found no effect of Rps5 itself on the tolerance of either accession. We therefore failed to find evidence for a trade‐off between tolerance and resistance.