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. 1992 Jan;4(1):71–77. doi: 10.1105/tpc.4.1.71

A Biochemical Phenotype for a Disease Resistance Gene of Maize.

RB Meeley 1, GS Johal 1, SP Briggs 1, JD Walton 1
PMCID: PMC160107  PMID: 12297630

Abstract

In maize, major resistance to the pathogenic fungus Cochliobolus (Helminthosporium) carbonum race 1 is determined by the dominant allele of the nuclear locus hm. The interaction between C. carbonum race 1 and maize is mediated by a pathogen-produced, low molecular weight compound called HC-toxin. We recently described an enzyme from maize, called HC-toxin reductase, that inactivates HC-toxin by pyridine nucleotide-dependent reduction of an essential carbonyl group. We now report that this enzyme activity is detectable only in extracts of maize that are resistant to C. carbonum race 1 (genotype Hm/Hm or Hm/hm). In several genetic analyses, in vitro HC-toxin reductase activity was without exception associated with resistance to C. carbonum race 1. The results indicate that detoxification of HC-toxin is the biochemical basis of Hm-specific resistance of maize to infection by C. carbonum race 1.

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Selected References

These references are in PubMed. This may not be the complete list of references from this article.

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