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Science 21 August 2009:
Vol. 325. no. 5943, pp. 998 - 1001
DOI: 10.1126/science.1175550
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Reports

Loss of Function of a Proline-Containing Protein Confers Durable Disease Resistance in Rice

Shuichi Fukuoka,1,* Norikuni Saka,2 Hironori Koga,3 Kazuko Ono,1 Takehiko Shimizu,4 Kaworu Ebana,1 Nagao Hayashi,5 Akira Takahashi,5 Hirohiko Hirochika,6 Kazutoshi Okuno,7 Masahiro Yano1

Blast disease is a devastating fungal disease of rice, one of the world’s staple foods. Race-specific resistance to blast disease has usually not been durable. Here, we report the cloning of a previously unknown type of gene that confers non–race-specific resistance and its successful use in breeding. Pi21 encodes a proline-rich protein that includes a putative heavy metal–binding domain and putative protein-protein interaction motifs. Wild-type Pi21 appears to slow the plant’s defense responses, which may support optimization of defense mechanisms. Deletions in its proline-rich motif inhibit this slowing. Pi21 is separable from a closely linked gene conferring poor flavor. The resistant pi21 allele, which is found in some strains of japonica rice, could improve blast resistance of rice worldwide.

1 QTL Genomics Research Center, National Institute of Agrobiological Sciences, Kannondai 2-1-2, Tsukuba, Ibaraki 305-8602, Japan.
2 Mountainous Region Agricultural Research Institute, Aichi Agricultural Research Center, Inahasi, Toyota, Aichi 441-2513, Japan.
3 Bioproduction Sciences, Ishikawa Prefectural University, Suematsu 1-308, Nonoichi-machi, Ishikawa 921-8836, Japan.
4 Institute of the Society for Techno-Innovation of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries, Ippaizuka, Tsukuba, Ibaraki 305-0854, Japan.
5 Division of Plant Sciences, National Institute of Agrobiological Sciences, Kannondai 2-1-2, Tsukuba, Ibaraki 305-8602, Japan.
6 Division of Genome and Biodiversity Research, National Institute of Agrobiological Sciences, Kannondai 2-1-2, Tsukuba, Ibaraki 305-8602, Japan.
7 Graduate School of Life and Environmental Sciences, University of Tsukuba, Tennohdai 1-1-1, Tsukuba, Ibaraki 305-8572, Japan.

* To whom correspondence should be addressed. E-mail: fukusan{at}affrc.go.jp

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THIS ARTICLE HAS BEEN CITED BY OTHER ARTICLES:
A Type I-Secreted, Sulfated Peptide Triggers XA21-Mediated Innate Immunity.
S.-W. Lee, S.-W. Han, M. Sririyanum, C.-J. Park, Y.-S. Seo, and P. C. Ronald (2009)
Science 326, 850-853
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Science. ISSN 0036-8075 (print), 1095-9203 (online)