BvcZR3 and BvHs1(pro-1) Genes Pyramiding Enhanced Beet Cyst Nematode (Heterodera schachtii Schm.) Resistance in Oilseed Rape (Brassica napus L.)

Beet cyst nematode (Heterodera schachtii Schm.) is one of the most damaging pests in sugar beet growing areas around the world. The Hs1(pro-1) and cZR3 genes confer resistance to the beet cyst nematode, and both were cloned from sugar beet translocation line (A906001). The translocation line carried the locus from B. procumbens chromosome 1 including Hs1(pro-1) gene and resistance gene analogs (RGA), which confer resistance to Heterodera schachtii. In this research, BvHs1(pro-1) and BvcZR3 genes were transferred into oilseed rape to obtain different transgenic lines by A. tumefaciens mediated transformation method. The cZR3Hs1(pro-1) gene was pyramided into the same plants by crossing homozygous cZR3 and Hs1(pro-1) plants to identify the function and interaction of cZR3 and Hs1(pro-1) genes. In vitro and in vivo cyst nematode resistance tests showed that cZR3 and Hs1(pro-1) plants could be infested by beet cyst nematode (BCN) juveniles, however a large fraction of penetrated nematode juveniles was not able to develop normally and stagnated in roots of transgenic plants, consequently resulting in a significant reduction in the number of developed nematode females. A higher efficiency in inhibition of nematode females was observed in plants expressing pyramiding genes than in those only expressing a single gene. Molecular analysis demonstrated that BvHs1(pro-1) and BvcZR3 gene expressions in oilseed rape constitutively activated transcription of plant-defense related genes such as NPR1 (non-expresser of PR1), SGT1b (enhanced disease resistance 1) and RAR1 (suppressor of the G2 allele of skp1). Transcript of NPR1 gene in transgenic cZR3 and Hs1(pro-1) plants were slightly up-regulated, while its expression was considerably enhanced in cZR3Hs1(pro-1) gene pyramiding plants. The expression of EDS1 gene did not change significantly among transgenic cZR3, Hs1(pro-1) and cZR3Hs1(pro-1) gene pyramiding plants and wild type. The expression of SGT1b gene was slightly up-regulated in transgenic cZR3 and Hs1(pro-1) plants compared with the wild type, however, its expression was not changed in cZR3Hs1(pro-1) gene pyramiding plant and had no interaction effect. RAR1 gene expression was significantly up-regulated in transgenic cZR3 and cZR3Hs1(pro-1) genes pyramiding plants, but almost no expression was found in Hs1(pro-1) transgenic plants. These results show that nematode resistance genes from sugar beet were functional in oilseed rape and conferred BCN resistance by activation of a CC-NBS-LRR R gene mediated resistance response. The gene pyramiding had enhanced resistance, thus offering a novel approach for the BCN control by preventing the propagation of BCN in oilseed rape. The transgenic oilseed rape could be used as a trap crop to offer an alternative method for beet cyst nematode control.