Isolated polynucleotides and polypeptides associated with plants resistance to pathogenic fungi

Abstract

The present invention relates to polynucleotides and polypeptides associated with increased resistance of plant to pathogenic fungi, particularly to fungi inducing root rot and stalk rot in plants, and use thereof for controlling plant fungal pathogens and for producing transgenic plants having increased resistance to pathogenic fungi.

1 . A method for enhancing the resistance of a plant or a part thereof to at least one pathogenic fungus and/or Oomycete, comprising modulating the expression and/or activity of at least one polypeptide at least 80% identical to a polypeptide having an amino acid sequence selected from the group consisting of SEQ ID NOs:586, 571-585, and 587-939 within at least one cell of the plant or part thereof, thereby enhancing the resistance of said plant or part thereof to the at least one pathogenic fungus and/or Oomycete compared to the resistance of a control plant. 
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1 , said method comprises modulating the expression and/or activity of at least one polypeptide having the amino acid sequence selected from the group consisting of SEQ ID NOs:586, 571-585, and 587-964. 
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the at least one polypeptide is encoded by a polynucleotide comprising a nucleic acid sequence at least 80% identical to a nucleic acid sequence selected from the group consisting of SEQ ID NOs:70, 136, 55-69, 71-135, and 137-527. 
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 3 , wherein the at least one polypeptide is encoded by a polynucleotide comprising the nucleic acid sequence selected from the group consisting of SEQ ID NOs: 70, 136, 55-69, 71-135, and 137-564. 
     
     
         5 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein enhancing the resistance of the plant or part thereof to the at least one pathogenic fungus and/or Oomycete comprises enhancing the expression and/or activity of the at least one polypeptide compared to its expression and/or activity in the control plant. 
     
     
         6 . The method of  claim 5 , said method comprises introducing into at least one cell of the plant or part thereof an exogenous polynucleotide encoding the at least one polypeptide thereby producing a transgenic plant over-expressing said polypeptide compared to the control plant. 
     
     
         7 . The method of  claim 5 , said method comprises enhancing the expression and/or activity of at least one polypeptide at least 80% identical to a polypeptide having an amino acid sequence selected from the group consisting of SEQ ID NOs:586, 573, 575-578, 585, 589, 592-594, 600, 607, 609-611, 614, 629-632, 635, 641, 642, 645, and 651-654. 
     
     
         8 . The method of  claim 7 , wherein the polypeptide comprises the amino acid sequence selected from the group consisting of SEQ ID NOs: 586, 573, 575-578, 585, 589, 592-594, 600, 607, 609-611, 614, 629-632, 635, 641, 642, 645, 651-654, 942, and 943. 
     
     
         9 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein enhancing the resistance of the plant or part thereof to the at least one pathogenic fungus and/or Oomycete comprises reducing the expression and/or activity of the at least one polypeptide compared to its expression and/or activity in the control plant. 
     
     
         10 . A method for producing a population of plants each having an enhanced resistance to at least one pathogenic fungus and/or Oomycete, comprising the steps of: a. modulating the expression and/or activity of at least one polypeptide at least 80% identical to a polypeptide having an amino acid sequence selected from the group consisting of SEQ ID NOs:586, 571-585, and 587-939 within at least one cell of each plant of a plant population as to produce a genetically engineered plant population; b. inoculating each plant of the genetically engineered plant population with the at least one pathogenic fungus or Oomycete; and c. selecting plants showing an enhanced resistance to said at least one pathogenic fungus or Oomycete compared to a control plant or to a pre-determined resistance score value; thereby producing a population of genetically engineered plants having enhanced resistance to said at least one pathogenic fungus and/or Oomycete. 
     
     
         11 . The method of  claim 10 , wherein modulating the expression and/or activity of the at least on polypeptide is selected from enhancing the expression and/or activity and reducing the expression and/or activity. 
     
     
         12 . A method for selecting a plant having an enhanced resistance to at least one pathogenic fungus and/or Oomycete, comprising the steps of: a. providing a plurality of plants each comprising at least one cell with modulated expression and/or activity of a polypeptide at least 80% identical to a polypeptide having an amino acid sequence selected from the group consisting of SEQ ID NOs:586, 571-585, 587-939; b. inoculating the plurality of plants with the at least one pathogenic fungus or Oomycete; and c. selecting plants showing an enhanced resistance to said at least one pathogenic fungus or Oomycete compared to a control plant or to a pre-determined resistance score value; thereby selecting a plant having enhanced resistance to said at least one pathogenic fungus. 
     
     
         13 . The method of  claim 12 , wherein modulating the expression and/or activity of the at least on polypeptide is selected from enhancing the expression and/or activity and reducing the expression and/or activity. 
     
     
         14 . A genetically engineered plant having enhanced resistance to at least one fungus and/or Oomycete compared to a non-engineered control plant, the genetically engineered plant comprises at least one cell having modified expression and/or activity of at least one polypeptide at least 80% identical to a polypeptide having an amino acid sequence selected from the group consisting of SEQ ID NOs:586, 571-585, and 587-939 compared to the polypeptide expression and/or activity in the non-engineered control plant. 
     
     
         15 . The genetically engineered plant of  claim 14 , said plant comprises at least one cell having modified expression and/or activity of at least one polypeptide having the amino acid sequence selected from the group consisting of SEQ ID NOs:586, 571-585, and 587-964. 
     
     
         16 . A genetically engineered plant having enhanced resistance to the at least one fungus and/or Oomycete comprising at least one cell having enhanced expression and/or activity of at least one polypeptide at least 80% identical to a polypeptide having an amino acid sequence selected from the group consisting of SEQ ID NOs: 586, 573, 575-578, 585, 589, 592-594, 600, 607, 609-611, 614, 629-632, 635, 641, 642, 645, and 651-654. 
     
     
         17 . The genetically engineered plant of  claim 16 , said plant comprises at least one cell having enhanced expression and/or activity of at least one polypeptide having the amino acid sequence selected from the group consisting of SEQ ID NOs: 586, 573, 575-578, 585, 589, 592-594, 600, 607, 609-611, 614, 629-632, 635, 641, 642, 645, 651-654, 942, and 943. 
     
     
         18 . A nucleic acid construct comprising a polynucleotide comprising a nucleic acid sequence at least 80% identical to a polynucleotide having a nucleic acids sequence selected from the group consisting of SEQ ID NOs:70, 136, 57, 59-62, 69, 73, 76-78, 84, 91, 93-95, 98, 113-116, 119, 123, 125-128, 135, 138, 141-143, 149, 156, 158-160, 162, 177-180, and 183, wherein the polynucleotide, when expressed in a plant, is capable of enhancing the resistance of the plant to at least one pathogenic fungus and/or Oomycete. 
     
     
         19 . The nucleic acid construct of  claim 18 , said construct comprises a polynucleotide having the nucleic acid sequence selected from the group consisting of SEQ ID NOs:70, 136, 57, 59-62, 69, 73, 76-78, 84, 91, 93-95, 98, 113-116, 119, 123, 125-128, 135, 138, 141-143, 149, 156, 158-160, 162, 177-180, 183, 530, 531, 535, and 536. 
     
     
         20 . A genetically engineered plant cell expressing at least one construct according to  claim 18 .