Comparison of ALS functionality and plant growth in ALS-inhibitor susceptible and resistant Myosoton aquaticum L.[Pubmed: 29107233]

Herbicide target-site resistance mutations may cause pleiotropic effects on plant ecology and physiology. The effect of several known (Pro197Ser, Pro197Leu Pro197Ala, and Pro197Glu) target-site resistance mutations of the ALS gene on both ALS functionality and plant vegetative growth of weed Myosoton aquaticum L. (water chickweed) have been investigated here. The enzyme kinetics of ALS from four purified water chickweed populations that each homozygous for the specific target-site resistance-endowing mutations were characterized and the effect of these mutations on plant growth was assessed via relative growth rate (RGR) analysis. Plants homozygous for Pro197Ser and Pro197Leu exhibited higher extractable ALS activity than susceptible (S) plants, while all ALS mutations with no negative change in ALS kinetics. The Pro197Leu mutation increased ALS sensitivity to isoleucine and valine, and Pro197Glu mutation slightly increased ALS sensitivity to isoleucine. RGR results indicated that none of these ALS resistance mutations impose negative pleiotropic effects on relative growth rate. However, resistant (R) seeds had a lowed germination rate than S seeds. This study provides baseline information on ALS functionality and plant growth characteristics associated with ALS inhibitor resistance-endowing mutations in water chickweed.

A novel Pro197Glu substitution in acetolactate synthase (ALS) confers broad-spectrum resistance across ALS inhibitors.[Pubmed: 25619909]

Water chickweed (Myosoton aquaticum L.), a competitive broadleaf weed, is widespread in wheat fields in China. Tribenuron and pyroxsulam failed to control water chickweed in the same field in Qiaotian Village in 2011 and 2012, respectively. An initial tribenuron resistance confirmation test identified a resistant population (AH02). ALS gene sequencing revealed a previously unreported substitution of Glu for Pro at amino acid position 197 in resistant individuals. A purified subpopulation (WRR04) that was individually homozygous for the Pro197Glu substitution was generated and characterized in terms of its response to different classes of ALS inhibitors. A whole-plant experiment showed that the WRR04 population exhibited broad-spectrum resistance to tribenuron (SU, 318-fold), pyrithiobac sodium (PTB, > 197-fold), pyroxsulam (TP, 81-fold), florasulam (TP, > 36-fold) and imazethapyr (IMI, 11-fold). An in vitro ALS assay confirmed that the ALS from WRR04 showed high resistance to all the tested ALS inhibitors. These results established that the Pro197Glu substitution endows broad-spectrum resistance across ALS inhibitors in water chickweed. In addition, molecular markers were developed to rapidly identify the Pro197Glu mutation.

Target-site basis for resistance to acetolactate synthase inhibitor in Water chickweed (Myosoton aquaticum L.).[Pubmed: 25149235]

Water chickweed is a widespread and competitive winter annual or biennial weed of wheat in China. One Water chickweed population (HN02) resistant to several acetolactate synthase (ALS) inhibitors was found in Henan province of China. Whole-plant bioassays showed that HN02 was high resistance to tribenuron (292.05-flod). In vitro ALS assays revealed that resistance was due to reduced sensitivity of the ALS enzyme to tribenuron. The I50 value for HN02 was 85.53 times greater respectively than that of susceptible population (SD05). This altered ALS sensitivity in the resistant population was due to a mutation in the ALS gene resulting in a Pro197 to Ser substitution. Cross-resistance experiments indicated that HN02 exhibited various resistance patterns to pyrithiobac-sodium, florasulam and pyroxsulam, without resistance to imazethapyr. This is the first report of tribenuron-resistant Water chickweed in Henan province of China, target-site based resistance was established as being due to an insensitive form of ALS, resulting from a Pro to Ser substitution at amino acid position 197 in the ALS gene.