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Cyclophilins (CYPs) are a group of highly conserved proteins involved in host-pathogen interactions in diverse plant species. However, the role of CYPs during disease resistance in wheat remains largely elusive. In the present study, the systematic genome-wide survey revealed a set of 81 TaCYP genes from three subfamilies (GI, GII, and GIII) distributed on all 21 wheat chromosomes. The gene structures of TaCYP members were found to be highly variable, with 1–14 exons/introns and 15 conserved motifs. A network of miRNA targets with TaCYPs demonstrated that TaCYPs were targeted by multiple miRNAs and vice versa. Expression profiling was done in leaf rust susceptible Chinese spring (CS) and the CS-Ae. Umbellulata derived resistant IL “Transfer (TR). Three homoeologous TaCYP genes (TaCYP24, TaCYP31, and TaCYP36) showed high expression and three homoeologous TaCYP genes (TaCYP44, TaCYP49, and TaCYP54) showed low expression in TR relative to Chinese Spring. Most of the other TaCYPs showed comparable expression changes (down- or upregulation) in both contrasting TR and CS. Expression of 16 TaCYPs showed significant association (p < 0.05) with superoxide radical and hydrogen peroxide abundance, suggesting the role of TaCYPs in downstream signaling processes during wheat-leaf rust interaction. The differentially expressing TaCYPs may be potential targets for future validation using transgenic (overexpression, RNAi or CRISPR-CAS) approaches and for the development of leaf rust-resistant wheat genotypes.

Bread wheat (Triticum aestivum L.; Ta) is the staple cereal crop for the majority of the world’s population. Leaf rust disease caused by the obligate fungal pathogen, Puccinia triticina L., is a biotrophic pathogen causing significant economic yield damage. The alteration in the redox homeostasis of the cell caused by various kinds of reactive oxygen species (ROS) and reactive nitrogen species (RNS) in response to pathogenic infections is controlled by redox regulators. Thioredoxin (Trx) is one of the redox regulators with low molecular weight and is thermostable. Through a genome-wide approach, forty-two (42) wheat Trx genes (TaTrx) were identified across the wheat chromosome groups A, B, and D genomes containing 12, 16, and 14 Trx genes, respectively. Based on in silico expression analysis, 15 TaTrx genes were selected and utilized for further experimentation. These 15 genes were clustered into six groups by phylogenetic analysis. MicroRNA (miRNA) target analysis revealed eight different miRNA-targeted TaTrx genes. Protein–protein interaction (PPI) analysis showed TaTrx proteins interact with thioredoxin reductase, peroxiredoxin, and uncharacterized proteins. Expression profiles resulting from quantitative real-time PCR (qRT-PCR) revealed four TaTrx genes (TaTrx11-5A, TaTrx13-5B, TaTrx14-5D, and TaTrx15-3B) were significantly induced in response to leaf rust infection. Localization of ROS and its content estimation and an assay of antioxidant enzymes and expression analysis suggested that Trx have been involved in ROS homeostasis at span 24HAI-72HAI during the leaf rust resistance.