Molecular cloning and characterization of two pathogenesis-related β-1,3-glucanase genes ScGluA1 and ScGluD1 from sugarcane infected by Sporisorium scitamineum

Two β-1,3-glucanase genes from sugarcane were cloned and characterized. They were all located in apoplast and involves in different expression patterns in biotic and abiotic stress. Smut caused by Sporisorium scitamineum is a serious disease in the sugarcane industry. β-1,3-Glucanase, a typical pathogenesis-related protein, has been shown to express during plant–pathogen interaction and involves in sugarcane defense response. In this study, β-1,3-glucanase enzyme activity in the resistant variety increased faster and lasted longer than that of the susceptible one when inoculated with S. scitamineum, along with a positive correlation between the activity of the β-1,3-glucanase and smut resistance. Furthermore, two β-1,3-glucanase genes from S. scitamineum infected sugarcane, ScGluA1 (GenBank Accession No. KC848050) and ScGluD1 (GenBank Accession No. KC848051) were cloned and characterized. Phylogenetic analysis suggested that ScGluA1 and ScGluD1 clustered within subfamily A and subfamily D, respectively. Subcellular localization analysis demonstrated that both gene products were targeted to apoplast. Escherichia coli Rosetta (DE3) cells expressing ScGluA1 and ScGluD1 showed varying degrees of tolerance to NaCl, CdCl2, PEG, CuCl2 and ZnSO4. Q-PCR analysis showed up-regulation of ScGluA1 and slight down-regulation of ScGluD1 in response to S. scitamineum infection. It suggested that ScGluA1 may be involved in the defense reaction of the sugarcane to the smut, while it is likely that ScGluD1 was inhibited. The gene expression patterns of ScGluA1 and ScGluD1, in response to abiotic stresses, were similar to sugarcane response against smut infection. Together, β-1,3-glucanase may function in sugarcane defense mechanism for S. scitamineum. The positive responses of ScGluA1 and the negative responses of ScGluD1 to biotic and abiotic stresses indicate they play different roles in interaction between sugarcane and biotic or abiotic stresses.