Genomic structural variation in an alpha/beta hydrolase triggers hybrid necrosis in wheat

Hybrid necrosis, a century-old mystery in wheat, is caused by complementary genes Ne1 and Ne2. Ne2, encoding a nucleotide-binding leucine-rich repeat (NLR) immune receptor, has been cloned, yet Ne1 remains elusive. Here, we report that Ne1, which encodes an alpha/beta hydrolase (ABH) protein generated by structural variation, triggers hybrid necrosis with Ne2 by activating autoimmune responses. We further verify that not only allelic variation but also copy number variation (CNV) of Ne1 are pivotal for hybrid necrosis diversity in wheat. Ne1 likely originates from wild emmer wheat, potentially through duplication and ectopic recombination events. Unlike Ne2, which is frequently selected for rust resistance in wheat breeding, the lower prevalence of Ne1 in modern wheat cultivars is attributed to its association with hybrid necrosis. Altogether, these findings illuminate the co-evolution of the NLR/ABH gene pair in plant development and innate immunity, offering potential benefits for wheat breeding.

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Publication Details

Journal
Nature Communications
Published
2025-03-18
DOI
https://doi.org/10.1038/s41467-025-57750-5
Citations
6
Primary Topic
Wheat and Barley Genetics and Pathology
Type
article
Field-Weighted Citation Impact
10.50
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article

Genomic structural variation in an alpha/beta hydrolase triggers hybrid necrosis in wheat

Zhimeng Zhang, Jianqing Niu, Xuejia Cui, Chengguo Yuan et al.
6 citations
Nature Communications
Wheat and Barley Genetics and Pathology
10.50
article

Genomic structural variation in an alpha/beta hydrolase triggers hybrid necrosis in wheat

Zhimeng Zhang, Jianqing Niu, Xuejia Cui, Chengguo Yuan, Yaoqi Si, Huaizhi Zhang, Hong‐Qing Ling, Guanghao Guo, Keyu Zhu, Shuiquan Tian, Tingting Du, Jingzhong Xie, Shengwei Ma, Zaifeng Li, Shusong Zheng, Qiuhong Wu, Lingli Dong, Yongxing Chen, Mengjun Gu, Zhiyong Liu, Yiwen Li, Miaomiao Li, Lu Qiao, Huilan Wu, Ping Lü, Xiaocui Yan
article en
6 citations

Abstract

Hybrid necrosis, a century-old mystery in wheat, is caused by complementary genes Ne1 and Ne2. Ne2, encoding a nucleotide-binding leucine-rich repeat (NLR) immune receptor, has been cloned, yet Ne1 remains elusive. Here, we report that Ne1, which encodes an alpha/beta hydrolase (ABH) protein generated by structural variation, triggers hybrid necrosis with Ne2 by activating autoimmune responses. We further verify that not only allelic variation but also copy number variation (CNV) of Ne1 are pivotal for hybrid necrosis diversity in wheat. Ne1 likely originates from wild emmer wheat, potentially through duplication and ectopic recombination events. Unlike Ne2, which is frequently selected for rust resistance in wheat breeding, the lower prevalence of Ne1 in modern wheat cultivars is attributed to its association with hybrid necrosis. Altogether, these findings illuminate the co-evolution of the NLR/ABH gene pair in plant development and innate immunity, offering potential benefits for wheat breeding.

Nature CommunicationsVol. 16(1)
Hebei Agricultural University (CN), Shandong University (CN), Chinese Academy of Sciences (CN), Huazhong Agricultural University (CN), Institute of Genetics and Developmental Biology (CN), Hainan Agricultural School (CN), Sanya University (CN), University of Chinese Academy of Sciences (CN)
Zero hunger
Openalex Percentile: Top 2%
Wheat and Barley Genetics and Pathology
10.50
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