Abstract
SrTA10187 was fine-mapped to a 1.1 cM interval, candidate genes were identified in the region of interest, and molecular markers were developed for marker-assisted selection and Sr gene pyramiding.
Stem rust (Puccinia graminis f. sp. tritici, Pgt) races belonging to the Ug99 (TTKSK) race group pose a serious threat to global wheat (Triticum aestivum L.) production. To improve Pgt host resistance, the Ug99-effective resistance gene SrTA10187 previously identified in Aegilops tauschii Coss. was introgressed into wheat, and mapped to the short arm of wheat chromosome 6D. In this study, high-resolution mapping of SrTA10187 was done using a population of 1,060 plants. Pgt resistance was screened using race QFCSC. PCR-based SNP and STS markers were developed from genotyping-by-sequencing tags and SNP sequences available in online databases. SrTA10187 segregated as expected in a 3:1 ratio of resistant to susceptible individuals in three out of six BC3F2 families, and was fine-mapped to a 1.1 cM region on wheat chromosome 6DS. Marker context sequence was aligned to the reference Ae. tauschii genome to identify the physical region encompassing SrTA10187. Due to the size of the corresponding region, candidate disease resistance genes could not be identified with confidence. Comparisons with the Ae. tauschii genetic map developed by Luo et al. (PNAS 110(19):7940-7945, 2013) enabled identification of a discrete genetic locus and a BAC minimum tiling path of the region spanning SrTA10187. Annotation of pooled BAC library sequences led to the identification of candidate genes in the region of interest-including a single NB-ARC-LRR gene. The shorter genetic interval and flanking KASP (TM) and STS markers developed in this study will facilitate marker-assisted selection, gene pyramiding, and positional cloning of SrTA10187.