Isolation of the Tomato <i>Cf-9</i> Gene for Resistance to <i>Cladosporium fulvum</i> by Transposon Tagging

TLDR

The Cf‑9 gene confers resistance to Cladosporium fulvum races carrying Avr9 and encodes a protein homologous to receptor‑like kinases, antifungal polygalacturonase‑inhibiting proteins, and leucine‑rich repeat family members. Cf‑9 was isolated by transposon tagging using the maize Dissociation element. Its DNA sequence encodes a putative membrane‑anchored extracytoplasmic glycoprotein whose structure is consistent with a receptor that could bind Avr9 and trigger plant defense.

Abstract

The tomato Cf-9 gene confers resistance to infection by races of the fungus Cladosporium fulvum that carry the avirulence gene Avr9 . The Cf-9 gene was isolated by transposon tagging with the maize transposable element Dissociation . The DNA sequence of Cf-9 encodes a putative membrane-anchored extracytoplasmic glycoprotein. The predicted protein shows homology to the receptor domain of several receptor-like protein kinases in Arabidopsis , to antifungal polygalacturonase-inhibiting proteins in plants, and to other members of the leucine-rich repeat family of proteins. This structure is consistent with that of a receptor that could bind Avr9 peptide and activate plant defense.