Deciphering signalling network in broad spectrum Near Isogenic Lines of rice resistant to Magnaporthe oryzae

Disease resistance (R) genes like Pi9, Pita, Pi21, Pi54 are playing important role for broad spectrum blast resistance in rice. Development of near isogenic lines (NILs) using these type of broad spectrum genes and understanding their signalling networks is essential to cope up with highly evolving Magnaporthe oryzae strains for longer duration. Here, transcriptional-level changes were studied in three near-isogenic lines (PB1 + Pi1, PB1 + Pi9 and PB1 + Pi54) of rice resistant to blast infection, to find the loci that are unique to resistant lines developed in the background of Pusa Basmati 1 (PB1). The pathway analysis of loci, unique to resistant NILs compared to susceptible control revealed that plant secondary metabolite synthesis was the common mechanism among all NILs to counter against M. oryzae infection. Comparative transcriptome analysis helped to find out common clusters of co-expressed significant differentially expressed loci (SDEL) in both PB1 + Pi9 and PB1 + Pi54 NILs. SDELs from these clusters were involved in the synthesis and degradation of starch; synthesis and elongation of fatty acids; hydrolysis of phospholipids; synthesis of phenylpropanoid; and metabolism of ethylene and jasmonic acid. Through detailed analysis of loci specific to each resistant NIL, we identified a network of signalling pathways mediated by each blast resistance gene. The study also offers insights into transcriptomic dynamics, points to a set of important candidate genes that serve as module to regulate the changes in resistant NILs. We suggest that pyramiding of the blast resistance gene Pi9 with Pi54 will lead to maximum broad spectrum resistance to M. oryzae.