Genetic elucidation of interconnected antibiotic pathways mediating maize innate immunity
- 26 October 2020
- journal article
- research article
- Published by Springer Science and Business Media LLC in Nature Plants
- Vol. 6 (11), 1375-1388
- https://doi.org/10.1038/s41477-020-00787-9
Abstract
Specialized metabolites constitute key layers of immunity that underlie disease resistance in crops; however, challenges in resolving pathways limit our understanding of the functions and applications of these metabolites. In maize (Zea mays), the inducible accumulation of acidic terpenoids is increasingly considered to be a defence mechanism that contributes to disease resistance. Here, to understand maize antibiotic biosynthesis, we integrated association mapping, pan-genome multi-omic correlations, enzyme structure–function studies and targeted mutagenesis. We define ten genes in three zealexin (Zx) gene clusters that encode four sesquiterpene synthases and six cytochrome P450 proteins that collectively drive the production of diverse antibiotic cocktails. Quadruple mutants in which the ability to produce zealexins (ZXs) is blocked exhibit a broad-spectrum loss of disease resistance. Genetic redundancies ensuring pathway resiliency to single null mutations are combined with enzyme substrate promiscuity, creating a biosynthetic hourglass pathway that uses diverse substrates and in vivo combinatorial chemistry to yield complex antibiotic blends. The elucidated genetic basis of biochemical phenotypes that underlie disease resistance demonstrates a predominant maize defence pathway and informs innovative strategies for transferring chemical immunity between crops.This publication has 72 references indexed in Scilit:
- TopHat2: accurate alignment of transcriptomes in the presence of insertions, deletions and gene fusionsGenome Biology, 2013
- Flavonols: old compounds for old rolesAnnals of Botany, 2011
- Novel Acidic Sesquiterpenoids Constitute a Dominant Class of Pathogen-Induced Phytoalexins in MaizePlant Physiology, 2011
- B73-Mo17 Near-Isogenic Lines Demonstrate Dispersed Structural Variation in MaizePlant Physiology, 2011
- Benzoxazinoid Metabolites Regulate Innate Immunity against Aphids and Fungi in MaizePlant Physiology, 2011
- Sandalwood Fragrance Biosynthesis Involves Sesquiterpene Synthases of Both the Terpene Synthase (TPS)-a and TPS-b Subfamilies, including Santalene SynthasesOnline Journal of Public Health Informatics, 2011
- Indirect Defense Responses to Herbivory in GrassesPlant Physiology, 2009
- Protonation of a Neutral (S)-β-Bisabolene Intermediate Is Involved in (S)-β-Macrocarpene Formation by the Maize Sesquiterpene Synthases TPS6 and TPS11Online Journal of Public Health Informatics, 2008
- The plant immune systemNature, 2006
- Quorum-sensing regulation governs bacterial adhesion, biofilm development, and host colonization in Pantoea stewartii subspecies stewartiiProceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America, 2006