Metabolomics of Fhb1-mediated resistance against Fusarium head blight in wheat: An isotope-assisted LC-HRMS approach

Fusarium Head Blight (FHB) is a fungal disease caused by Fusarium graminearum (Fg), producing mycotoxins and negatively affecting yield and quality of small grain cereals such as wheat. Resistance of wheat against FHB is mediated by more than 100 different quantitative trait loci (QTLs), with Fhb1 being located on chromosome 3B and constituting one of the major resistance QTLs. Despite considerable recent research efforts, the molecular mechanism underlying Fhb1 mediated resistance in wheat remains still elusive. According to a recent study, Fhb1 is involved in the regulation of the phenylpropanoid pathway and cell wall reinforcement to prevent fungal spread inside the infected host plant. In the present study, we challenged this hypothesis by the use of 13C labeled phenylalanine (Phe) as metabolic precursor of phenylpropanoids and other phenolic secondary metabolites. To this end, flowering wheat ears of different near isogenic wheat lines, differing in the presence of Fhb1, were treated with Fg, deoxynivalenol or mock (as a control) in a time course experiment. After harvest and sample preparation, LC-HRMS measurement and automated data processing about 1000 plant metabolites including more than 100 Phe-derived metabolites were detected. The presentation will illustrate our isotope-assisted metabolomics approach and will focus on metabolites of the Phe-derived submetabolome and their putative association with Fhb1 mediated resistance or susceptibility to FHB in wheat.

Author(s): Maria Doppler

Abstract | Full-Text | PDF

Share This Article