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Tracing the origin and evolutionary history of plant nucleotide‐binding site–leucine‐rich repeat ( NBS‐LRR ) genes
Author(s) -
Yue JiaXing,
Meyers Blake C.,
Chen JianQun,
Tian Dacheng,
Yang Sihai
Publication year - 2012
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.1469-8137.2011.04006.x
Subject(s) - biology , gene , leucine rich repeat , genetics , comparative genomics , genome , phylogenetics , function (biology) , r gene , lineage (genetic) , gene family , computational biology , evolutionary biology , genomics , plant disease resistance
Summary• Plant disease resistance genes ( R genes) encode proteins that function to monitor signals indicating pathogenic infection, thus playing a critical role in the plant’s defense system. Although many studies have been performed to explore the functional details of these important genes, their origin and evolutionary history remain unclear. • In this study, focusing on the largest group of R genes, the nucleotide‐binding site–leucine‐rich repeat ( NBS‐LRR ) genes, we conducted an extensive genome‐wide survey of 38 representative model organisms and obtained insights into the evolutionary stage and timing of NBS‐LRR genes. • Our data show that the two major domains, NBS and LRR , existed before the split of prokaryotes and eukaryotes but their fusion was observed only in land plant lineages. The Toll/interleukin‐1 receptor (TIR) class of NBS‐LRR genes probably had an earlier origin than its nonTIR counterpart. The similarities of the innate immune systems of plants and animals are likely to have been shaped by convergent evolution after their independent origins. • Our findings start to unravel the evolutionary history of these important genes from the perspective of comparative genomics and also highlight the important role of reorganizing pre‐existing building blocks in generating evolutionary novelties.