Genome‑wide association analyses of leaf rust resistance in cultivated emmer wheat

Leaf rust, caused by Puccinia triticina (Pt), constantly threatens durum (Triticum turgidum ssp. durum) and bread wheat (Triticum aestivum) production worldwide. A Pt race BBBQD detected in California in 2009 poses a potential threat to durum production in North America because resistance source to this race is rare in durum germplasm. To find new resistance sources, we assessed a panel of 180 cultivated emmer wheat (Triticum turgidum ssp. dicoccum) accessions for seedling resistance to BBBQD and for adult resistance to a mixture of durum-specific races BBBQJ, CCMSS, and MCDSS in the field, and genotyped the panel using genotype-by-sequencing (GBS) and the 9 K SNP (Single Nucleotide Polymorphism) Infinium array. The results showed 24 and nine accessions consistently exhibited seedling and adult resistance, respectively, with two accessions providing resistance at both stages. We performed genome-wide association studies using 46,383 GBS and 4,331 9 K SNP markers and identified 15 quantitative trait loci (QTL) for seedling resistance located mostly on chromosomes 2B and 6B, and 11 QTL for adult resistance on 2B, 3B and 6A. Of these QTL, one might be associated with leaf rust resistance (Lr) gene Lr53, and two with the QTL previously reported in durum or hexaploid wheat. The remaining QTL are potentially associated with new Lr genes. Further linkage analysis and gene cloning are necessary to identify the causal genes underlying these QTL. The emmer accessions with high levels of resistance will be useful for developing mapping populations and adapted durum germplasm and varieties with resistance to the durum-specific races

Chronic kidney disease and coenzyme Q10 supplementation

Among the potential causes of chronic kidney disease (CKD), mitochondrial respiratory chain (MRC) dysfunction, oxidative stress and inflammation have been implicated as contributor factors to the pathogenesis of this disorder. It is thought that CoQ10 supplementation may offer some therapeutic potential in the treatment of patients with CKD, since CoQ10 has a key role in normal MRC function, as well as having antioxidant and anti-inflammatory action. This article will outline the current knowledge on the use of CoQ10 in the treatment of CK