Project Part: Detoxification mechanisms in plants: Functional testing of UDP-glucosyltransferases

  • Heterologous expression of a barley UGT gene in bakers yeast leads to DON resistance due to conversion of DON into DON-3-O-glucoside.
    vergrößern
    Heterologous expression of a barley UGT gene in bakers yeast leads to DON resistance due to conversion of DON into DON-3-O-glucoside.

The working hypothesis of the project part is that members of the very large gene family of UDP-glucosyltransferases (UGTs) play an important role in detoxification of fungal metabolites. The primary goal is to identify the UGT gene(s) of the monocot model plant Brachypodium distachyon that is/are responsible for DON (and ZON) conjugation. With this information it should be possible to identify the corresponding orthologous genes in crop plants and to utilize this information for resistance breeding. Based on the available genome sequence of Brachypodium and on refined annotation by MIPS (project part 5 of the SFB) we will establish a UGT gene inventory. Individual UGT-cDNAs will be expressed in bakers yeast to allow phenotypic testing of the resistance properties by spotting transformed yeast on toxin plates. 
Brachypodium accessions (ecotypes) from Turkey will be tested for variation in Fusarium resistance and variation in the capability to metabolize Fusarium toxins.

Project Part Leader: Ao. Univ. Prof. Dr. Gerhard Adam