A head-to-head NLR gene pair from wild emmer confers stripe rust resistance in wheat

Yanling Hu; Miaomiao Li; Yuqin Li; Lilin Du; Ruijie Xie; Fei Ni; Chongjing Xia; Ke Wang; Yanyan Huang; Binyang Xu; Yinghui Li; Yunfeng Jiang; Ming Hao; Bo Jiang; Shunzong Ning; Zhongwei Yuan; Lihua Feng; Lianquan Zhang; Shisheng Chen; Bihua Wu; Zhiyong Liu; Tzion Fahima; Dengcai Liu; Lin Huang

doi:10.1038/s41588-025-02207-0

A head-to-head NLR gene pair from wild emmer confers stripe rust resistance in wheat

Yanling Hu, Miaomiao Li, Yuqin Li, Lilin Du, Ruijie Xie, Fei Ni, Chongjing Xia, Ke Wang, Yanyan Huang, Binyang Xu, Yinghui Li, Yunfeng Jiang, Ming Hao, Bo Jiang, Shunzong Ning, Zhongwei Yuan, Lihua Feng, Lianquan Zhang, Shisheng Chen, Bihua WuZhiyong Liu, Tzion Fahima, Dengcai Liu, Lin Huang

Department of Evolutionary and Environmental Biology

Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review

Abstract

Wheat stripe rust poses a major threat to global food security. Discovery of disease resistance genes from wild relatives enables multigene stacking that could enhance durability. Here we use map-based cloning and long-read sequencing to isolate two adjacent nucleotide-binding and leucine-rich repeat (NLR) receptors from wild emmer wheat. Using mutagenesis, gene silencing and genetic transformation, we show that the genes TdNLR1 and TdNLR2 oriented head-to-head are both required for YrTD121-mediated stripe rust resistance. TdNLR1 encodes a canonical NLR (CC-NB-ARC-LRR) protein, whereas TdNLR2 encodes an atypical one (NB-ARC-LRR). Both genes lack an integrated domain previously associated with effector perception, representing an uncommon architecture for paired NLRs in plants. The coiled coil domain of TdNLR1 triggers cell death and self-associates in planta. YrTD121 was present in wild emmer but absent in all other Triticum species examined. Our work sheds light on the function of paired NLRs in conferring disease resistance and facilitates breeding for resistance.

Original language	English
Pages (from-to)	1543-1552
Number of pages	10
Journal	Nature Genetics
Volume	57
Issue number	6
DOIs	https://doi.org/10.1038/s41588-025-02207-0
State	Published - Jun 2025

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Publisher Copyright:
© The Author(s), under exclusive licence to Springer Nature America, Inc. 2025.

ASJC Scopus subject areas

Genetics

UN SDGs

This output contributes to the following UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs)

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10.1038/s41588-025-02207-0

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title = "A head-to-head NLR gene pair from wild emmer confers stripe rust resistance in wheat",

abstract = "Wheat stripe rust poses a major threat to global food security. Discovery of disease resistance genes from wild relatives enables multigene stacking that could enhance durability. Here we use map-based cloning and long-read sequencing to isolate two adjacent nucleotide-binding and leucine-rich repeat (NLR) receptors from wild emmer wheat. Using mutagenesis, gene silencing and genetic transformation, we show that the genes TdNLR1 and TdNLR2 oriented head-to-head are both required for YrTD121-mediated stripe rust resistance. TdNLR1 encodes a canonical NLR (CC-NB-ARC-LRR) protein, whereas TdNLR2 encodes an atypical one (NB-ARC-LRR). Both genes lack an integrated domain previously associated with effector perception, representing an uncommon architecture for paired NLRs in plants. The coiled coil domain of TdNLR1 triggers cell death and self-associates in planta. YrTD121 was present in wild emmer but absent in all other Triticum species examined. Our work sheds light on the function of paired NLRs in conferring disease resistance and facilitates breeding for resistance.",

author = "Yanling Hu and Miaomiao Li and Yuqin Li and Lilin Du and Ruijie Xie and Fei Ni and Chongjing Xia and Ke Wang and Yanyan Huang and Binyang Xu and Yinghui Li and Yunfeng Jiang and Ming Hao and Bo Jiang and Shunzong Ning and Zhongwei Yuan and Lihua Feng and Lianquan Zhang and Shisheng Chen and Bihua Wu and Zhiyong Liu and Tzion Fahima and Dengcai Liu and Lin Huang",

note = "Publisher Copyright: {\textcopyright} The Author(s), under exclusive licence to Springer Nature America, Inc. 2025.",

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Hu, Y, Li, M, Li, Y, Du, L, Xie, R, Ni, F, Xia, C, Wang, K, Huang, Y, Xu, B, Li, Y, Jiang, Y, Hao, M, Jiang, B, Ning, S, Yuan, Z, Feng, L, Zhang, L, Chen, S, Wu, B, Liu, Z, Fahima, T, Liu, D & Huang, L 2025, 'A head-to-head NLR gene pair from wild emmer confers stripe rust resistance in wheat', Nature Genetics, vol. 57, no. 6, pp. 1543-1552. https://doi.org/10.1038/s41588-025-02207-0

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AU - Li, Miaomiao

AU - Li, Yuqin

AU - Du, Lilin

AU - Xie, Ruijie

AU - Ni, Fei

AU - Xia, Chongjing

AU - Wang, Ke

AU - Huang, Yanyan

AU - Xu, Binyang

AU - Li, Yinghui

AU - Jiang, Yunfeng

AU - Hao, Ming

AU - Jiang, Bo

AU - Ning, Shunzong

AU - Yuan, Zhongwei

AU - Feng, Lihua

AU - Zhang, Lianquan

AU - Chen, Shisheng

AU - Wu, Bihua

AU - Liu, Zhiyong

AU - Fahima, Tzion

AU - Liu, Dengcai

AU - Huang, Lin

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N2 - Wheat stripe rust poses a major threat to global food security. Discovery of disease resistance genes from wild relatives enables multigene stacking that could enhance durability. Here we use map-based cloning and long-read sequencing to isolate two adjacent nucleotide-binding and leucine-rich repeat (NLR) receptors from wild emmer wheat. Using mutagenesis, gene silencing and genetic transformation, we show that the genes TdNLR1 and TdNLR2 oriented head-to-head are both required for YrTD121-mediated stripe rust resistance. TdNLR1 encodes a canonical NLR (CC-NB-ARC-LRR) protein, whereas TdNLR2 encodes an atypical one (NB-ARC-LRR). Both genes lack an integrated domain previously associated with effector perception, representing an uncommon architecture for paired NLRs in plants. The coiled coil domain of TdNLR1 triggers cell death and self-associates in planta. YrTD121 was present in wild emmer but absent in all other Triticum species examined. Our work sheds light on the function of paired NLRs in conferring disease resistance and facilitates breeding for resistance.

AB - Wheat stripe rust poses a major threat to global food security. Discovery of disease resistance genes from wild relatives enables multigene stacking that could enhance durability. Here we use map-based cloning and long-read sequencing to isolate two adjacent nucleotide-binding and leucine-rich repeat (NLR) receptors from wild emmer wheat. Using mutagenesis, gene silencing and genetic transformation, we show that the genes TdNLR1 and TdNLR2 oriented head-to-head are both required for YrTD121-mediated stripe rust resistance. TdNLR1 encodes a canonical NLR (CC-NB-ARC-LRR) protein, whereas TdNLR2 encodes an atypical one (NB-ARC-LRR). Both genes lack an integrated domain previously associated with effector perception, representing an uncommon architecture for paired NLRs in plants. The coiled coil domain of TdNLR1 triggers cell death and self-associates in planta. YrTD121 was present in wild emmer but absent in all other Triticum species examined. Our work sheds light on the function of paired NLRs in conferring disease resistance and facilitates breeding for resistance.

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DO - 10.1038/s41588-025-02207-0

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JF - Nature Genetics

IS - 6

ER -

A head-to-head NLR gene pair from wild emmer confers stripe rust resistance in wheat

Abstract

Bibliographical note

ASJC Scopus subject areas

UN SDGs

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