Wheat WCBP1 encodes a putative copper-binding protein involved in stripe rust resistance and inhibition of leaf senescence

Background Stripe rust, a highly destructive foliar disease of wheat (Triticum aestivum), causes severe losses, which may be accompanied by reduced photosynthetic activity and accelerated leaf senescence. Methods We used suppression subtractive hybridization (SSH) to examine the mechanisms of resistance in the resistant wheat line L693 (Reg. No. GP-972, PI 672538), which was derived from a lineage that includes a wide cross between common and Thinopyrum intermedium. Sequencing of an SSH cDNA library identified 112 expressed sequence tags. Results In silico mapping placed one of these tags [GenBank: JK972238] on chromosome 1A. Primers based on [GenBank: JK972238] amplified a polymorphic band, which co-segregated with YrL693. We cloned a candidate gene encoding wheat copper-binding protein (WCBP1) by amplifying the polymorphic region, and we mapped WCBP1 to a 0.64 cM genetic interval. Brachypodium, rice, and sorghum have genes and genomic regions syntenic to this region. Discussion Sequence analysis suggested that the resistant WCBP1 allele might have resulted from a deletion of 36-bp sequence of the wheat genomic sequence, rather than direct transfer from Th. intermedium. qRT-PCR confirmed that WCBP1 expression changes in response to pathogen infection. Conclusions The unique chromosomal location and expression mode of WCBP1 suggested that WCBP1 is the putative candidate gene of YrL693, which was involved in leaf senescence and photosynthesis related to plant responses to stripe rust infection during the grain-filling stage. Electronic supplementary material The online version of this article (doi:10.1186/s12870-015-0612-4) contains supplementary material, which is available to authorized users.