Genome-Wide Analysis of Serine Hydroxymethyltransferase Genes in Triticeae Species Reveals That Regulates Fusarium Head Blight Resistance in Wheat.

Serine hydroxymethyltransferase () plays a pivotal role in cellular one-carbon, photorespiration pathways and it influences the resistance to biotic and abiotic stresses. However, the function of SHMT proteins in wheat remains largely unexplored. In the present study, genes in five species, , and four dicotyledon species were identified based on whole genome information. The origin history of the target gene was traced by micro-collinearity analysis. Gene expression patterns of in different tissues, various biotic stresses, exogenous hormones, and two biotic stresses were determined by Quantitative real-time reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction (qRT-PCR). The function of the selected was studied by barley stripe mosaic virus-induced gene silencing in common wheat Bainong207. A total of 64 members were identified and further classified into two main classes based on the structure of SHMT proteins. The gene structure and motif composition analyses revealed that kept relatively conserved within the same subclasses. Interestingly, there was a gene, , on chromosome 7B of , but there was no gene on chromosome 7 of other analyzed species; had fewer exons and conserved motifs than the genes in the same subclass, suggesting that the gene of has a notable evolutionary progress. The micro-collinearity relationship showed that no homologs of and its two neighboring genes were found in the collinearity region of , and there were 27 genes inserted into the collinearity region of . . Furthermore, qRT-PCR results showed that was responsive to abiotic stresses (NaCl and cold), abscisic acid, methyl jasmonate, and hydrogen peroxide. Significantly, upon infection, the expression of was highly upregulated in resistant cultivar Sumai3. More importantly, silencing of compromises Fusarium head blight resistance in common wheat Bainong207. Our new findings suggest that the gene in wheat plays an important role in resistance to Fusarium head blight. This provides a valuable reference for further study on the function of this gene family.