Open Access

ARTICLE

Transcriptomics Provides New Insights into Resistance Mechanisms in Wheat Infected with Puccinia striiformis f. sp. tritici

Jing Zhang^1,#, Huifen Qiao^1,#, Shenglong Wang^1,#, Jiawei Yuan¹, Qingsong Ba¹, Gensheng Zhang^1,2,*, Guiping Li^1,*

1 Huaibei Key Laboratory of Crop Genetic Improvement and Efficient Green Safe Production, Anhui Key Laboratory of Plant Resources and Biology, School of Life Science, Huaibei Normal University, Huaibei, 235000, China
2 State Key Laboratory of Crop Stress Biology for Arid Areas, NWAFU, Yangling, 712100, China

* Corresponding Authors: Gensheng Zhang. Email: ; Guiping Li. Email:
# These authors contributed equally to this work

(This article belongs to the Special Issue: Advances in Plant Breeding and Genetic Improvement: Leveraging Molecular Markers and Novel Genetic Strategies)

Phyton-International Journal of Experimental Botany 2025, 94(9), 2701-2718. https://doi.org/10.32604/phyton.2025.070017

Received 06 July 2025; Accepted 05 September 2025; Issue published 30 September 2025

Abstract

Wheat stripe rust, a devastating disease caused by the fungal pathogen Puccinia striiformis f. sp. tritici (Pst), poses a significant threat to global wheat production. Growing resistant cultivars is a crucial strategy for wheat stripe rust management. However, the underlying molecular mechanisms of wheat resistance to Pst remain incompletely understood. To unravel these mechanisms, we employed high-throughput RNA sequencing (RNA-Seq) to analyze the transcriptome of the resistant wheat cultivar Mianmai 46 (MM46) at different time points (24, 48, and 96 h) post-inoculation with the Pst race CYR33. The analysis revealed that Pst infection significantly altered the expression of genes involved in photosynthesis and energy metabolism, suggesting a disruption of host cellular processes. Conversely, the expression of several resistance genes was upregulated, indicating activation of defense responses. Further analysis identified transcription factors (TFs), pathogen-related (PR) proteins, and chitinase-encoding genes as key players in wheat resistance to Pst. These genes likely contribute to the activation of defense pathways, such as the oxidative burst, which involves the production of reactive oxygen species (ROS). The activities of antioxidant enzymes, including peroxidase (POD), superoxide dismutase (SOD), and catalase (CAT), were also upregulated, suggesting a role in mitigating oxidative damage caused by ROS. Our findings provide valuable insights into the molecular mechanisms underlying wheat resistance to Pst. By identifying key genes and pathways involved in this complex interaction, we can develop more effective strategies for breeding resistant wheat cultivars and managing this destructive disease.

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Keywords

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Supplementary Material

Supplementary Material File

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