Rhg1 mediated resistance to soybean cyst nematode

Abstract

Methods of increasing the resistance of plants, in particular soybeans, to nematodes, in particular soybean cyst nematodes, are provided herein. The methods include increasing the expression of Glyma18g02580, Glyma18g02590 and/or Glyma18g2610 in cells of a plant and in particular in root cells of a plant to increase the resistance of the plant and plant cells to nematodes. The methods include increasing the expression using constitutive promoters or by increasing the copy number of the polynucleotides. Constructs for expressing these polypeptides, transgenic cells, transgenic plants and methods of generating the same are also provided. Methods of screening plant cells for resistance or susceptibility to nematodes are also provided.

1 . A method of increasing resistance of plant cells to nematodes comprising increasing expression of:
 (a) a polypeptide having at least 95% sequence identity to SEQ ID NO: 1,   (b) a polypeptide having at least 95% sequence identity to SEQ ID NO: 2, SEQ ID NO: 5, or SEQ ID NO: 6, and/or   (c) a polypeptide having at least 95% sequence identify to SEQ ID NO: 3,   wherein increased expression of the polypeptides of (a), (b), and/or (c) in the plant cells increases nematode resistance of the plant cells.   
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the plant cells comprise:
 (a) a rhg1-a haplotype;   (b) a rhg1-b haplotype; or   (c) both rhg1-a and rhg1-b haplotypes.   
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein expression of the polypeptides of (a), (b), and (c) is increased via genetic transformation of the plant cells with a polynucleotide encoding the polypeptides of (a), (b), and (c). 
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the plant cells are soybean, potatoes, or  Arabidopsis  cells. 
     
     
         5 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the plant cells are root cells. 
     
     
         6 . The method of  claim 3 , wherein the polynucleotide encoding the polypeptides of (a), (b), and (c) comprises a promoter operational in the plant cells that is operably linked to the polynucleotides encoding the polypeptides. 
     
     
         7 . The method of  claim 6 , wherein the promoter is a native promoter, a strong promoter, a tissue specific promoter, an inducible promoter, a constitutive promoter, and/or a developmentally regulated promoter. 
     
     
         8 . The method of  claim 7 , wherein the promoter is a strong promoter. 
     
     
         9 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the plant cells exhibit increased expression of each of a polypeptide according to SEQ ID NO: 1, a polypeptide according to SEQ ID NO: 2, SEQ ID NO: 5, or SEQ ID NO: 6, and a polypeptide according to SEQ ID NO: 3. 
     
     
         10 . A transgenic plant cell comprising: one or more polynucleotides encoding:
 (a) a polypeptide having at least 95% identity to SEQ ID NO: 1,   (b) a polypeptide having at least 95% identity to SEQ ID NO: 2, SEQ ID NO: 5, or SEQ ID NO: 6, and/or   (c) a polypeptide having at least 95% identity to SEQ ID NO: 3,   wherein the one or more polynucleotides encoding each of the polypeptides of (a), (b), and (c) comprises a promoter operably linked to one or more polynucleotides encoding the polypeptides, and wherein the transgenic plant cell has increased resistance to nematodes relative to plant cells without increased copy number of the one or more polynucleotides encoding the polypeptides of (a), (b), and (c).   
     
     
         11 . The transgenic plant cell of  claim 10 , wherein the plant cells comprise:
 (a) a rhg1-a haplotype;   (b) a rhg1-b haplotype; or   (c) both rhg1-a and rhg1-b haplotypes.   
     
     
         12 . The transgenic plant cell of  claim 10 , wherein the plant cells are soybean, potatoes, or  Arabidopsis  cells. 
     
     
         13 . The transgenic plant cell of  claim 10 , wherein the promoter of the one or more polynucleotides encoding the polypeptides of (a), (b), and (c) comprises a promoter that is operational in the plant cells and that is operably linked to the one or more polynucleotides encoding the polypeptides. 
     
     
         14 . The transgenic plant cell of  claim 13 , wherein the promoter is a native promoter, a strong promoter, a tissue specific promoter, an inducible promoter, a constitutive promoter, and/or a developmentally regulated promoter. 
     
     
         15 . The transgenic plant of  claim 14 , wherein the promoter is a strong promoter. 
     
     
         16 . The transgenic plant cell of  claim 10 , wherein the one or more polynucleotides each encode each of a polypeptide according to SEQ ID NO: 1, a polypeptide according to SEQ ID NO: 2, SEQ ID NO: 5, or SEQ ID NO: 6, and a polypeptide according to SEQ ID NO: 3. 
     
     
         17 . A seed comprising the transgenic cell of  claim 10 . 
     
     
         18 . A plant grown from the seed of  claim 17 . 
     
     
         19 . A transgenic plant comprising the cell of  claim 10 . 
     
     
         20 . A part, progeny or asexual propagate of the transgenic plant of  claim 19 .