Isolation, Cloning and Characterization of Resistance Gene Analogues in Pearl Millet Based on Conserved Nucleotide-binding Sites

Sequence analysis of plant disease resistance genes shows similarity among themselves, with the presence of conserved motifs common to the nucleotide-binding site (NBS). Oligonucleotide degenerate primers designed from the conserved NBS motifs encoded by several plant disease resistance genes were used to amplify resistance gene analogues (RGAs) corresponding to the NBS sequences from the genomic DNA of various plant species. Using specific primers designed from the conserved NBS regions, 22 RGAs were cloned and sequenced from pearl millet (Pennisetum glaucum L. Br.). Phylogenetic analysis of the predicted amino acid sequences grouped the RGAs into nine distinct classes. GenBank database searches with the consensus protein sequences of each of the nine classes revealed their conserved NBS domains and similarity to other known R genes of various crop species. One RGA 213 was mapped onto LG1 and LG7 in the pearl millet linkage map. This is the first report of the isolation and characterization of RGAs from pearl millet, which will facilitate the improvement of marker-assisted breeding strategies.