Wheat receptor-kinase-like protein Stb6 controls gene-for-gene resistance to fungal pathogen Zymoseptoria tritici

Deployment of fast-evolving disease-resistance genes is one of the most successful strategies used by plants to fend off pathogens. In gene-for-gene relationships, most cloned disease-resistance genes encode intracellular nucleotide-binding leucine-rich-repeat proteins (NLRs) recognizing pathogensecreted isolate-specific avirulence (Avr) effectors delivered to the host cytoplasm. This process often triggers a localized hypersensitive response, which halts further disease development. Here we report the map-based cloning of the wheat Stb6 gene and demonstrate that it encodes a conserved wallassociated receptor kinase (WAK)-like protein, which detects the presence of a matching apoplastic effector and confers pathogen resistance without a hypersensitive response. This report demonstrates gene-for-gene disease resistance controlled by this class of proteins in plants. Moreover, Stb6 is, to our knowledge, the first cloned gene specifying resistance to Zymoseptoria tritici, an important foliar fungal pathogen affecting wheat and causing economically damaging septoria tritici blotch (STB) disease

Genome sequence of fusarium graminearum strain MDC_Fg1, isolated from bread wheat grown in France

International audienceFusarium graminearum is a major fungal pathogen that induces Fusarium head blight (FHB), a devastating disease of small-grain cereals worldwide. This announcement provides the whole-genome sequence of a highly virulent and toxin-producing French isolate, MDC_Fg1

Croissance : le secret perdu ?

[eng] Growth : the lost secret ? Équipe MIMOSA Since 1990, growth in the industrial countries has become again insufficient to prevent a further rise in unemployment. The announced recovery has been quite weak in 1992, except in the United States. Will it happen in 1993 and 1994 ? The dollar's rise, resulting of the decreasing gap between Germany and US interest rates, should moderate US activity, and stimulate the European growth. Inflation remains weak and oil and raw materials prices are stable. A strong recovery in investment is difficult to forecast as the capacity rates of utilisation remain low. Despite the decrease in nominal interest rates, real rates remain high. Consumption is weak, and fiscal policies generally restrictive. In the middle term (1994-2000), the average growth for OECD countries should be 2.4 % per year. The United States, having budgetary constraints and low productivity, should grow at only 2.2 %. Japan should slowly emerge from its present problems, reaching a 3.3 % growth. In Europe, West Germany should match again its potential growth (2.4 %), which should imply a global rate of 3 % a year for a unified Germany. The United Kingdom should acknowledge a certain recovery after its 2 year-long deep recession, with an average growth of 2.2 %. Growth in France should also be 2.2 %. Enduring rigorous fiscal policy, Italy should grow at only 1.9 % a year. The world GDP should rise 1.6 % in 1993, and 3.3 % a year from 1994 to 2000, due to the upsurge of New Industrial Countries, India and China. Eastern countries should enjoy sustained growth, but their production level should remain 15 % lower in 2000 than its 1989-level. The OECD growth should be quite weak, as economic policies hesitate between sustaining growth and balancing public and external accounts. Having accepted to deepen their budget deficit in 1991-1993, numerous governments are now limiting their spending and rising taxes, which is lowering activity. Nominal interest rates are low as inflation and growth are weak, but real interest rates remain far higher than the real growth rate. Low wage rises and the high level of unemployment both weigh on final consumption, leading firms to perceive low demand. European countries generally hesitate to devalue, along with a wage- freeze, that should perhaps reduce their unemployment rate due to competitiveness gains, but more surely endanger the European union process. Drastic policies to secure World economic growth, such as reducing real interest rates, sending massive capital flows toward East and South or co-ordinating fiscal stimulation, do not meet with unanimity among neither governments nor economists. The secret of growth seems to have been lost. [fre] Depuis 1990, la croissance des pays industrialisés est redevenue insuffisante pour contenir la montée du chômage. La reprise annoncée pour 1992 ne s'est guère produite, sauf aux Etats-Unis. Faut-il la prévoir pour 1993 et 1994 ? La remontée du dollar, induite par la diminution du différentiel des taux d'intérêt américain et allemand, devrait freiner l'activité américaine, mais favoriserait la croissance en Europe ; le Japon mène une politique budgétaire et monétaire stimulante ; les taux d'intérêt baissent en Europe tandis que le Royaume-Uni et l'Italie devraient bénéficier du coup de fouet que leur forte dépréciation donnerait à leur commerce extérieur. L'inflation reste contenue tandis que les prix du pétrole et des matières premières sont stables ou diminuent. En sens inverse, une forte reprise de l'investissement est difficile à envisager en raison d'importantes marges de capacités disponibles. La baisse des taux d'intérêts nominaux laisse des taux réels élevés. La consommation des ménages est peu vigoureuse. De nombreux pays mettent en œuvre des politiques budgétaires restrictives. A moyen terme (1994-2000), la croissance moyenne des pays de l'OCDE serait de 2,4 % ; les Etats-Unis, entravés par leurs problèmes budgétaires et une faible productivité, connaîtraient une croissance de 2,2 % ; le Japon ne sortirait que lentement de ses difficultés actuelles (3,3 % de croissance en moyenne). En Europe, l'Allemagne de l'Ouest retrouverait une croissance proche de sa croissance potentielle (2,4 %) ; la croissance de l'Allemagne réunifiée serait alors de 3 % ; le Royaume- Uni bénéficierait d'une certaine reprise après une récession profonde (2,2 % de croissance) ; la croissance française serait de 2,2 %, tandis que l'Italie, freinée par une politique budgétaire rigoureuse, aurait une ~croissancè~de 1,9 °/dpa croissance díTřeste dé la CE sëraifde 2,1 %. Après une baisse de 0,3 % en 1991 et une hausse de 0,3 % en 1992, le PIB mondial augmenterait de 1,6 % en 1993 puis de 3,3 % de 1994 à 2000, ceci reflétant l'essor des NPI et de l'Asie peuplée (Inde et Chine). La croissance des pays de l'Est serait soutenue, mais leur production serait en 2000 inférieure de près de 15 % à son niveau de 1989. La croissance de l'OCDE reste relativement médiocre. La politique économique hésite entre le souci de soutenir la croissance et celui de rétablir les grands équilibres. Après avoir toléré le creusement des défi- cits budgétaires de 1991 à 1993, de nombreux pays mettent en œuvre des politiques de freinage des dépenses publiques et de hausses d'impôts qui brident la croissance. Les taux d'intérêt nominaux sont bas car la croissance et l'inflation sont modérées, mais les taux d'intérêt réels restent élevés comparés au taux de croissance. La consommation des ménages est bridée par la modération salariale et le chômage. Les entreprises se heurtent à la faible croissance de la demande. Les pays européens qui pâtissent d'un fort chômage hésitent pour la plupart à s'engager dans des politiques de dévaluation et de blocage des salaires qui pourraient rétablir leur compétitivité, mais porteraient un rude coup à la construction européenne. Les mesures qui pourraient relancer l'économie mondiale (forte baisse des taux d'intérêt, apports massifs de capitaux au Sud et à l'Est, impulsion budgétaire concertée) ne font pas l'unanimité, ni parmi les gouvernements, ni parmi les économistes. Le secret de la croissance semble perdu.

Economie mondiale : la croissance difficile

The article presents a medium-term projection of the world economy carried out with MIMOSA, a model jointly built and teamed by CEPII and OFCE. The 1991-1992 period represents a break after the 80' s sharp growth impulsed by the oil counter-shock. The slow-down, which took place first in the United-States and the United-Kingdom, reached Continental Europe a year later, and is now effective in Japan. In the 1992-1993 period, the recovery will be soft : OECD growth will raise from 0,9 % in 1991 to 1,7% in 1992, and will reach 2,9% in 1993. In the United-States, the lack of fiscal support will limit the recovery, and the stimulating monetary policy will only have a small impact on consumption : households would reduce their debt burden rather than increase their consumption expenditures. Growth will reach 1,9 % in 1992 and 2,7 % in 1993. As direct effects of the German Unification will be over, measures to finance the former East Germany rebuilding and a restrictive monetary policy will keep on slowing German growth and hence the European one in 1992 and 1993. European growth will reach 1,6 % in 1992 and 29 in 1993. Inflation rates will be rather moderate in EEC countries except for the German one because of persistent wages pressures. The inflation rate will settle down to about 3 % in France whereas inflation rate will reach 4,5 % in 1992 and 4,1 % in 1993 in West Germany. There will be no major inflationary pressure in the United-States. In the middle run growth will lack driving forces The average annual growth rate will be 2,7 % for OECD countries from 1992 to 1997, of which 3,4 % in Japan 2,7 % in EEC and 2,5 % in the United-States, growth will cope with supply constraints in the United-States, Japan and Germany whereas in countries where unemployment is high (such as France, Italy and the United-Kindgom) economic policies will remain under the constraint of reaching external balance and/or public finance targets.L'article présente une projection de l'économie mondiale à l'horizon 1997 réalisée à l'aide du modèle MIMOSA, construit et géré conjointement par le СЕРII et l'OFCE. Les années 1991-92 marquent une pause après la vive croissance de la fin des années quatre-vingt impulsée par le contre- choc pétrolier. Apparue dès 1989 dans les pays anglo-saxons, la récession a atteint un an plus tard les pays d'Europe continentale puis, en 1991, le Japon. 1992-1993 seront des années de reprise molle : le taux de croissance des pays de l'OCDE passera de 0,6 % en 1991 à 1,7 en 1992 puis à 3,0 en 1993. Aux Etats-Unis, en l'absence de soutien budgétaire, la reprise ne pourra être forte, d'autant plus que le relâchement de la politique monétaire n'a que peu d'effets sur la consommation des ménages, ceux-ci préférant se désendetter plutôt que d'augmenter leurs dépenses de consommation ; la croissance y atteindra 1,9 % en 1992 puis 2,7 en 1993. Les effets expansionnistes directs de la réunification allemande étant désormais épuisés, les mesures de financement de la reconstruction de l'ех-RDA et la politique monétaire restrictive d'accompagnement continueront, en 1992 et 1993 à peser sur la croissance allemande et donc sur la croissance européenne, laquelle s'élèvera en 1992 à 1,6 et 2,9 % en 1993. Les performances en matière d'inflation seront bonnes dans le CEE à l'exception de l'Allemagne, du fait de tensions salariales persistantes. Maintenue aux environs de 3 % en France, la croissance des prix à la consommation atteindra par contre 4,5 puis 4,1 % outre-Rhin en 1992 et 1993. Aucune pression inflationniste majeure n'apparaîtra aux Etats-Unis. A moyen terme, la croissance manquera de moteur. De l'ordre de 2,7 % pour l'ensemble des pays de l'OCDE entre 1992 et 1997, dont 3,4 % pour le Japon, 2,7 pour la CEE et 2,5 % pour les Etats-Unis, la croissance butera sur des contraintes d'offre aux Etats-Unis, au Japon et en Allemagne, alors que dans les pays à fort taux de chômage (Italie, Royaume-Uni, France), la politique économique restera contrainte par la nécessité de ne pas détériorer les déficits extérieurs ou publics.Equipe MIMOSA, Delessy Henri, Sterdyniak Henri, Chauffour Jean-Pierre, Fiole Murielle, Fourmann Emmanuel, Harasty Hélène, Langin Hélène, Lerais Frédéric, Paris-Horvitz Sébastien. Economie mondiale : la croissance difficile. In: Observations et diagnostics économiques : revue de l'OFCE, n°41, 1992. pp. 55-118

Comparative genomics of two Fusarium graminearum strains of contrasting aggressiveness in bread wheat

By targeting host cellular processes, fungal effectors promote growth and spreading of pathogenic fungi in plant tissues. During the wheat/Fusarium graminearum (Fg) interaction causing the Fusarium head blight (FHB) disease, the nature and the function of these fungal molecular components which control plant susceptibility factors, remain largely unknown. Two Fg strains (Fg1 and Fu10008) contrasting for their aggressiveness in field trials were sequenced using Sequel technology. Fg1 and Fu10008 displayed 11,171 CDS (37,2Mb) and 10,629 CDS (36,1Mb), respectively. The comparative analysis of the predicted proteomes revealed 1,320 specific proteins in Fg1 and 693 in Fu10008, comprising 205 and 81 candidate putative effectors, respectively. A thorough pathotyping of the two Fg strains on three wheat genotypes of different susceptibility to FHB was assessed to test their mycotoxin production and their infection dynamics, including symptoms development and fungal biomass progress in point-inoculated spikelets (PI) and in the uninoculated peripheral ones (Up or Dn). Fg1 strain induced systematically the most severe symptoms in the PI, Up and Dn parts of each wheat genotypes. Whatever the infected genotype, Fg1 initiated symptom development 24 h earlier than Fu10008. Spreading of both strains in Up and Dn spikelets appeared preferentially towards the top of the spike as early as 5 days post-inoculation, displaying symptoms very close to those of the PI parts suggesting that they are related to fungal migration in healthy plant tissues. qRT-PCR and mycotoxin analyzes (DON and ZEA) of the different spike zones are currently performed to refine the early stages of the infection process of both strains. This will allow for connecting these Fg data to recent work investigating the wheat susceptibility factors (Chetouhi et al., 2016) and will contribute to shape an integrated picture of the molecular events piloting FHB

Comparative genomics of eight fusarium graminearum strains with contrasting aggressiveness reveals an expanded open pangenome and extended effector content signatures

International audienceFusarium graminearum, the primary cause of Fusarium head blight (FHB) in small-grain cereals, demonstrates remarkably variable levels of aggressiveness in its host, producing different infection dynamics and contrasted symptom severity. While the secreted proteins, including effectors, are thought to be one of the essential components of aggressiveness, our knowledge of the intra-species genomic diversity of F. graminearum is still limited. In this work, we sequenced eight European F. graminearum strains of contrasting aggressiveness to characterize their respective genome structure, their gene content and to delineate their specificities. By combining the available sequences of 12 other F. graminearum strains, we outlined a reference pangenome that expands the repertoire of the known genes in the reference PH-1 genome by 32%, including nearly 21,000 non-redundant sequences and gathering a common base of 9250 conserved core-genes. More than 1000 genes with high non-synonymous mutation rates may be under diverse selection, especially regarding the trichothecene biosynthesis gene cluster. About 900 secreted protein clusters (SPCs) have been described. Mostly localized in the fast sub-genome of F. graminearum supposed to evolve rapidly to promote adaptation and rapid responses to the host’s infection, these SPCs gather a range of putative proteinaceous effectors systematically found in the core secretome, with the chloroplast and the plant nucleus as the main predicted targets in the host cell. This work describes new knowledge on the intra-species diversity in F. graminearum and emphasizes putative determinants of aggressiveness, providing a wealth of new candidate genes potentially involved in the Fusarium head blight disease

Correlation between toxicity and dosimetric parameters for adjuvant intensity modulated radiation therapy of breast cancer: a prospective study

International audienceAbstract ORCID: 0000–0001-6019–7309 . In the treatment of breast cancer, intensity-modulated radiation therapy (IMRT) reportedly reduces the high-dose irradiation of at-risk organs and decreases the frequency of adverse events (AEs). Comparisons with conventional radiotherapy have shown that IMRT is associated with lower frequencies of acute and late-onset AEs. Here, we extended a prospective, observational, single-center study of the safety of IMRT to a second investigating center. Patients scheduled for adjuvant IMRT after partial or total mastectomy were given a dose of 50 Gy (25 fractions of 2 Gy over 5 weeks), with a simultaneous integrated boost in patients having undergone conservative surgery. 300 patients were included in the study, and 288 were analyzed. The median follow-up period was 2.1 years. The 2-year disease-free survival rate [95% CI] was 93.4% [89.2–96.0%]. Most AEs were mild. The most common AEs were skin-related—mainly radiodermatitis [in 266 patients (92.4%)] and hyperpigmentation (in 178 (61.8%)). 35% and 6% of the patients presented with grade 2 acute skin and esophageal toxicity, respectively. Only 4 patients presented with a grade 3 event (radiodermatitis). Smoking (odds ratio) [95% CI] = 2.10 [1.14–3.87]; p = 0.017), no prior chemotherapy (0.52 [0.27–0.98]; p = 0.044), and D98% for subclavicular skin (1.030 [1.001–1.061]; p = 0.045) were associated with grade ≥ 2 acute AEs. In a univariate analysis, the mean dose, (p < 0.0001), D2% (p < 0.0001), D50% (p = 0.037), D95% (p = 0.0005), D98% (p = 0.0007), V30Gy (p < 0.0001), and V45Gy (p = 0.0001) were significantly associated with grade ≥ 1 acute esophageal AEs. In a multivariate analysis, D95% for the skin (p < 0.001), D98% for the subclavicular skin and low D95% for the internal mammary lymph nodes were associated with grade ≥ 1 medium-term AEs. The safety profile of adjuvant IMRT after partial or total mastectomy is influenced by dosimetric parameters. Trial registration : ClinicalTrials.gov NCT02281149

Prospective Study of Intensity-Modulated Radiation Therapy for Locally Advanced Breast Cancer

The objective of this study was to evaluate the acute and medium-term toxicities, the quality of life, and aesthetic results of patients with breast cancer (BC) treated with tomotherapy. This was a prospective study, including patients with BC treated by tomotherapy. Radiation therapy delivered 50 Gy in 25 fractions to the breast or chest wall and to lymph node areas, with a simultaneous integrated boost at a dose of 60 Gy at the tumor bed in cases of breast conservative surgery. We included 288 patients, 168 and 120 treated with breast-conserving surgery and mastectomy respectively. Two hundred sixty patients (90.3%) received lymph node irradiation. Median follow-up was 25 months (6&ndash;48). Acute dermatitis was observed in 278 patients (96.5%), mostly grade 1 (59.7%). The aesthetic aspect of the breast at one year was reported as &ldquo;good&rdquo; or &ldquo;excellent&rdquo; in 84.6% of patients. The patients&rsquo; quality of life improved over time, especially those treated with chemotherapy. The two-year overall survival and disease-free survival were 97.8% (95% confidence interval (CI): 94.1&ndash;99.2%), and 93.4% (95% CI: 89.2&ndash;96.0%) respectively. Tomotherapy for locally advanced BC has acceptable toxicity, supporting its use in this indication; however, longer follow-up is needed to assess long-term outcomes

Effects of TCF7L2 polymorphisms on obesity in European populations.

1930-7381 (Print) Journal Article Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov'tInternational audienceThe transcription factor 7-like 2 (TCF7L2) rs7903146 T allele was previously associated with type 2 diabetes (T2D) and decreased BMI whereas haplotypes carrying the rs7903146 C and rs10885406 A alleles (HapA) were associated with increased BMI. The functional relevance of TCF7L2 polymorphisms and their effects on T2D and obesity remained to be further investigated.In white European populations, we found that the rs7903146 T allele was more associated with T2D in 3,547 non-obese individuals (odds ratio (OR) = 1.88 (1.69-2.10)) than in 1,110 class III obese subjects (OR = 1.24 (1.03-1.50)). No direct effect of the rs7903146 C allele and HapA was found on any form of obesity in 3,507 normal glucose tolerant (NGT) individuals, 1,106 pedigrees with familial obesity and 5,512 individuals from the French general population. However, in T2D subjects, the rs7903146 C allele was less prevalent in the 1,111 non-obese individuals (55.2%) compared to 659 class III obese subjects (67.5% OR = 1.69 (1.46-1.95)). Functional studies showed that the rs7903146 T allele is less prone to be bound by protein factors than the C allele in 3T3-L1, HepG2 and beta-TC3 cell lines and that TCF7L2 expression decreases in subcutaneous adipose tissue from NGT obese T/T carriers under calorie restriction.In conclusion, TCF7L2 is not a risk factor for obesity in European populations, but its effect on T2D risk is modulated by obesity. Furthermore, our data suggest that the rs7903146 T allele may be possibly functional and associated with a nominal decrease in TCF7L2 expression in adipose tissue of individuals under calorie restriction

A wheat cysteine-rich receptor-like kinase confers broad-spectrum resistance against Septoria tritici blotch

International audienceThe poverty of disease resistance gene reservoirs limits the breeding of crops for durable resistance against evolutionary dynamic pathogens. Zymoseptoria tritici which causes Septoria tritici blotch (STB), represents one of the most genetically diverse and devastating wheat pathogens worldwide. No fully virulent Z. tritici isolates against synthetic wheats carrying the major resistant gene Stb16q have been identified. Here, we use comparative genomics, mutagenesis and complementation to identify Stb16q, which confers broad-spectrum resistance against Z. tritici. The Stb16q gene encodes a plasma membrane cysteine-rich receptor-like kinase that was recently introduced into cultivated wheat and which considerably slows penetration and intercellular growth of the pathogen