Fine mapping and candidate gene analysis of two loci conferring resistance to Phytophthora sojae in soybean.

KEY MESSAGE: RpsUN1 and RpsUN2 were fine mapped to two genomic regions harboring disease resistance-like genes. The haplotypes and instability of the regions and candidate genes for the two resistance loci were characterized. Phytophthora root and stem rot caused by Phytophthora sojae, is one of the most destructive diseases of soybean. Deploying soybean cultivars carrying race-specific resistance conferred by Rps genes is the most practical approach to managing this disease. Previously, two Rps genes, RpsUN1 and RpsUN2 were identified in a landrace PI 567139B and mapped to a 6.5 cM region on chromosome 3 and a 3.0 cM region on chromosome 16, corresponding to 1387 and 423 kb of the soybean reference genome sequences. By analyzing recombinants defined by genotypic and phenotypic screening of the 826 F2:3 families derived from two reciprocal crosses between the two parental lines, RpsUN1 and RpsUN2, were further narrowed to a 151 kb region that harbors five genes including three disease resistance (R)-like genes, and a 36 kb region that contains four genes including five R-like genes, respectively, according to the reference genome. Expressional changes of these nine genes before and after inoculation with the pathogen, as revealed by RNA-seq, suggest that Glyma.03g034600 in the RpsUN1 region and Glyma.16g215200 and Glyma.16g214900 in the RpsUN2 region of PI 567139B may be associated with the resistance to P. sojae. It is also suggested that unequal recombination between/among R-like genes may have occurred, resulting in the formation of two recombinants with inconsistent genotypic and phenotypic observations. The haplotype variation of genomic regions where RpsUN1 and RpsUN2 reside in the entire soybean germplasm deposited in the US soybean germplasm collection suggests that RpsUN1 and RpsUN2 are most likely novel genes.