Open AccessGb SOBIR 1 confers Verticillium wilt resistance by phosphorylating the transcriptional factor Gbb HLH 171 in Gossypium barbadense
Author(s) -
Zhou Yi,
Sun Longqing,
Wassan Ghulam Mustafa,
He Xin,
Shaban Muhammad,
Zhang Lin,
Zhu Longfu,
Zhang Xianlong
Publication year - 2019
Publication title -
plant biotechnology journal
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 3.525
H-Index - 115
eISSN - 1467-7652
pISSN - 1467-7644
DOI - 10.1111/pbi.12954
Subject(s) - biology , verticillium dahliae , phosphorylation , gossypium barbadense , transcription factor , genetics , kinase , gene , microbiology and biotechnology , arabidopsis , gene silencing , botany , mutant
Summary Receptor‐like kinases ( RLK s) are important components of plant innate immunity. Although recent studies have revealed that the RLK suppressor of BIR 1‐1 ( SOBIR 1) can interact with multiple receptor‐like proteins and is required for resistance against fungal pathogens, how the signal is transduced and triggers immune responses remains enigmatic. In this study, we identified a defence‐related RLK from Gossypium barbadense (designated Gb SOBIR 1) and investigated its functional mechanism. Expression of the Gb SOBIR 1 gene is ubiquitous in cotton plants and is induced by Verticillium dahliae inoculation. Knock‐down of Gb SOBIR 1 by virus‐induced gene silencing resulted in attenuated resistance of cotton plants to V. dahliae , while heterologous overexpression of Gb SOBIR 1 in Arabidopsis improves resistance. We also found that the kinase region of Gb SOBIR 1 interacts with a basic helix‐loop‐helix ( bHLH ) transcription factor identified as Gbb HLH 171 in a yeast‐two‐hybrid screen. Gbb HLH 171 could interact with and be phosphorylated by Gb SOBIR 1 in vitro and in vivo and contributes positively to the resistance of cotton against V. dahliae . Furthermore, we found that this phosphorylation is essential to the transcriptional activity and functional role of Gbb HLH 171. We also show by spectrometric analysis and site‐directed mutagenesis that Ser413 is the Gb SOBIR 1‐mediated phosphorylation site of Gbb HLH 171. These results demonstrate that Gb SOBIR 1 interacts with Gbb HLH 171 and plays a critical role in cotton resistance to V. dahliae .