Abstract
Blueberry is an important crop worldwide. It is, however, susceptible to a variety of diseases, which can lead to losses in yield and fruit quality. Although screening studies have identified resistant germplasm for some important diseases, still little is known about the molecular basis underlying that resistance. The most predominant type of resistance (R) genes contains nucleotide binding site and leucine rich repeat (NBS-LRR) domains. The identification and characterization of such a gene family in blueberry would enhance the foundation of knowledge needed for its genetic improvement. In this study, we searched for and found a total of 106 NBS-encoding genes (including 97 NBS-LRR) in the current blueberry genome. The NBS genes were grouped into eleven distinct classes based on their domain architecture. More than 22% of the NBS genes are present in clusters. Ten genes were mapped onto seven linkage groups. Phylogenetic analysis grouped these genes into two major clusters based on their structural variation, the first cluster having toll and interleukin-1 like receptor (TIR) domains and most of the second cluster containing a coiled-coil domain. Our study provides new insight into the NBS gene family in blueberry and is an important resource for the identification of functional R-genes.
Highlights
Blueberries (Vaccinium spp.) have become a major crop worldwide
The nucleotide binding site and leucine rich repeat (NBS-leucine–rich repeats (LRRs)) genes accounted for approximately 0.4% of the predicted ORFs
The average number of exons detected in the nucleotide-binding site (NBS)-LRR genes was 2.01
Summary
Blueberries (Vaccinium spp.) have become a major crop worldwide. Demand for blueberries in the last decades has exceeded that predicted from prior growth. Increased consumption has been driven largely by a greater public awareness of health benefits associated with eating blueberries This expansion has been evident worldwide (increase of 58.0% from 2009–2014) and in the U.S (increase of 32.5% from 2010–2015). Sanitation and other cultural practices are the primary means of disease management available to blueberry propagators and growers[4,5]. These practices alone are often insufficient to prevent disease outbreaks and their associated losses in terms of yield and fruit quality. It is generally accepted that genetic resistance is the most effective means to control diseases. It is generally accepted that the primary function of the highly conserved NBS domain is to control the signal www.nature.com/scientificreports/
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