Characterization of the tomato Cf-4 gene for resistance to Cladosporium fulvum identifies sequences that determine recognitional specificity in Cf-4 and Cf-9

Plant Cell. 1997 Dec;9(12):2209-24. doi: 10.1105/tpc.9.12.2209.

Abstract

In many interactions between plants and their pathogens, resistance to infection is specified by plant resistance (R) genes and corresponding pathogen avirulence (Avr) genes. In tomato, the Cf-4 and Cf-9 resistance genes map to the same location but confer resistance to Cladosporium fulvum through recognition of different avirulence determinants (AVR4 and AVR9) by a molecular mechanism that has yet to be determined. Here, we describe the cloning and characterization of Cf-4, which also encodes a membrane-anchored extracellular glycoprotein. Cf-4 contains 25 leucine-rich repeats, which is two fewer than Cf-9. The proteins have > 91% identical amino acids. DNA sequence comparison suggests that Cf-4 and Cf-9 are derived from a common progenitor sequence. Amino acid differences distinguishing Cf-4 and Cf-9 are confined to their N termini, delimiting a region that determines the recognitional specificity of ligand binding. The majority of these differences are in residues interstitial to those of the leucine-rich repeat consensus motif. Many of these residues are predicted to form a solvent-exposed surface that can interact with the cognate ligand. Both Cf-4 and Cf-9 are located within a 36-kb region comprising five tandemly duplicated homologous genes. These results provide further insight into the molecular basis of pathogen perception by plants and the organization of complex R gene loci.

Publication types

  • Comparative Study
  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Amino Acid Sequence
  • Base Sequence
  • Cladosporium / pathogenicity*
  • Cloning, Molecular
  • DNA Primers / genetics
  • DNA, Plant / genetics
  • Genes, Plant*
  • Genetic Complementation Test
  • Ligands
  • Membrane Glycoproteins / chemistry
  • Membrane Glycoproteins / genetics*
  • Membrane Glycoproteins / metabolism
  • Molecular Sequence Data
  • Plant Diseases / genetics
  • Plant Diseases / microbiology
  • Plant Proteins / chemistry
  • Plant Proteins / genetics*
  • Plant Proteins / metabolism
  • Polymerase Chain Reaction
  • Protein Structure, Tertiary
  • Recombination, Genetic
  • Solanum lycopersicum / genetics*
  • Solanum lycopersicum / metabolism
  • Solanum lycopersicum / microbiology*
  • Virulence / genetics

Substances

  • Cf protein, Lycopersicon esculentum
  • DNA Primers
  • DNA, Plant
  • Ligands
  • Membrane Glycoproteins
  • Plant Proteins