Correlation Between Transcript Abundance of the RB Gene and the Level of the RB-Mediated Late Blight Resistance in Potato

Numerous disease-resistance genes have been cloned and characterized in various plant species. Only a few of these reported genes were transcriptionally induced or had enhanced transcription upon pathogen infection. Here, we report that transcription of the RB gene, which was cloned from the wild potato species Solanum bulbocastanum and confers resistance to potato late blight, was significantly increased after inoculation with the late blight pathogen Phytophthora infestans. Different RB transgenic lines showed different levels of resistance, which were correlated with the amounts of RB transcript in the transgenic plants. Different transgenic lines also showed different patterns of RB transcription 1, 3, and 5 days after P. infestans inoculation. Interestingly, the RB gene showed a higher basal level of transcription and a more dramatic transcriptional increase upon inoculation in S. bulbocastanum than in all potato transgenic lines. Our results revealed a predictive correlation between transcript abundance of the RB gene and the level of the RB-mediated late blight resistance. High level of resistance was associated with a combination of rapid RB transcript induction immediately after pathogen infection followed by the steady production of RB transcript. Thus, the transcription level of the RB gene provides a valuable marker for selecting and deploying RB-containing potato lines for late blight control.