Corresponding author: fengchen@henau.edu.cn (86-0371-56990337)

Wheat sharp eyespot (SE), caused by Rhizoctonia cerealis (Rc), is one of the most devastating soil-borne diseases in the worldwide and frequently occurred in multiple wheat major regions in China in recent years. Here, we mapped a new and stable QTL, QSe.hnau-3BS, for SE resistance in the Pingyuan50/Mingxian169 doubled haploid (DH) population. Based on the fine mapping of QTL, BSR-Seq, and gene sequencing, TaGSTF1 was determined as a candidate gene.

Through the virus-induced gene silencing (VIGS), ethyl methane sulfonate (EMS) mutants and overexpression transgenic lines, we found that TaGSTF1 positively regulated SE resistance through removing the reactive oxygen species (ROS) in wheat plants. Moreover, we screened a wheat protein kinase TaSRK could interact with TaGSTF1, and confirmed the interaction between them in vitro and in vivo.

Transient overexpression experiments in tobacco leaf cells and wheat protoplasts both indicated that TaSRK sharply increased the protein level of TaGSTF1, and this promotion was possibly resulted from Phosphorylation of TaSRK to TaGSTF1. EMS mutants and overexpression lines showed that TaSRK positively regulated wheat SE resistance and reduced ROS accumulation.

Taken together, we brought forth a TaSRK-TaGSTF1 model mediated SE resistance by scavenging the ROS in wheat plants. The results will provide gene resources and material germplasm for improvement of SE resistance in wheat breeding program.