• The Plant Pathology Journal
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• v.37 no.5
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• pp.437-445
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• 2021

Tilletia laevis Kuhn (syn. Tilletia foetida (Wallr.) Liro.) causes wheat common bunt, which is one of the most devastating plant diseases in the world. Common bunt can result in a reduction of 80% or even a total loss of wheat production. In this study, the characteristics of T. laevis infection in compatible wheat plants were defined based on the combination of scanning electron microscopy, transmission electron microscopy and laser scanning confocal microscopy. We found T. laevis could lead to the abnormal growth of wheat tissues and cells, such as leakage of chloroplasts, deformities, disordered arrangements of mesophyll cells and also thickening of the cell wall of mesophyll cells in leaf tissue. What's more, T. laevis teliospores were found in the roots, stems, flag leaves, and glumes of infected wheat plants instead of just in the ovaries, as previously reported. The abnormal characteristics caused by T. laevis may be used for early detection of this pathogen instead of molecular markers in addition to providing theoretical insights into T. laevis and wheat interactions for breeding of common bunt resistance.

• BMB Reports
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• v.38 no.4
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• pp.420-431
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• 2005

The differentially virulent race T1 of common bunt (Tilletia tritici) was used to inoculate the wheat lines Neepawa (compatible) and its sib BW553 (incompatible) that are nearly isogenic for the Bt-10 resistance gene. Inoculated crown tissues were used to construct a suppression subtractive hybridization (SSH) cDNA library. Of the 1920 clones arrayed from the SSH cDNA library, approximately 10% were differentially regulated. A total of 168 differentially up-regulated and 25 down-regulated genes were identified and sequenced; 71% sequences had significant homology to genes of known function, of which 59% appeared to have roles in cellular metabolism and development, 24% in abiotic/biotic stress responses, 3% involved in transcription and signal transduction responses. Two putative resistance genes and a transcription factor were identified among the up regulated sequences. The expression of several candidate genes including a lipase, two non-specific lipid transfer proteins (ns-LTPs), and several wheat pathogenesis-related (PR)-proteins, was evaluated following 4 to 32 days post-inoculation in compatible and incompatible interactions. Results confirmed the higher overall expression of these genes in resistant BW553 compared to susceptible Neepawa, and the differential up-regulation of wheat lipase, chitinase and PR-1 proteins in the expression of the incompatible interaction.