Pyroxasulfone-Resistant Annual Ryegrass (Lolium rigidum) Has Enhanced Capacity for Glutathione Transferase-Mediated Pyroxasulfone Conjugation

Genome-wide study of glutathione transferases and their regulation in flufenacet susceptible and resistant black-grass (Alopecurus myosuroides Huds.)

BACKGROUND

Glutathione transferases (GSTs) are enzymes with a wide range of functions, including herbicide detoxification. Up-regulation of GSTs and their detoxification activity enables the grass weed black-grass (Alopecurus myosuroides Huds.) to metabolize the very-long-chain fatty acid synthesis inhibitor flufenacet and other herbicides leading to multiple herbicide resistance. However, the genomic organization and regulation of GSTs genes is still poorly understood.

RESULTS

In this genome-wide study the location and expression of 115 GSTs were investigated using a recently published black-grass genome. Particularly, the most abundant GSTs of class tau and phi were typically clustered and often followed similar expression patterns but possessed divergent upstream regulatory regions. Similarities were found in the promoters of the most up-regulated GSTs, which are located next to each other in a cluster. The binding motif of the E2F/DP transcription factor complex in the promoter of an up-regulated GST was identical in susceptible and resistant plants, however, adjacent sequences differed. This led to a stronger binding of proteins to the motif of the susceptible plant, indicating repressor activity.

CONCLUSIONS

This study constitutes the first analysis dealing with the genomic investigation of GST genes found in black-grass and their transcriptional regulation. It highlights the complexity of the evolution of GSTs in black-grass, their duplication and divergence over time. The large number of GSTs allows weeds to detoxify a broad spectrum of herbicides. Ultimately, more research is needed to fully elucidate the regulatory mechanisms of GST expression. © 2024 The Authors. Pest Management Science published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd on behalf of Society of Chemical Industry.

Pyroxasulfone Metabolism in Resistant Lolium rigidum: Is It All Down to GST Activity?

Resistance to the herbicide pyroxasulfone has slowly but steadily increased in agricultural weeds. The evolved resistance of one Lolium rigidum population has been attributed to the conjugation of pyroxasulfone to reduced glutathione, mediated by glutathione transferase (GST) activity. To determine if GST-based metabolism is a widespread mechanism of pyroxasulfone resistance in L. rigidum, a number of putative-resistant populations were screened for GST activity toward pyroxasulfone, the presence of GSTF13-like isoforms (previously implicated in pyroxasulfone conjugation in this species), tissue glutathione concentrations, and response to inhibitors of GSTs and oxygenases. Although there were no direct correlations between pyroxasulfone resistance levels and these individual parameters, a random forest analysis indicated that GST activity was of primary importance for L. rigidum resistance to this herbicide.

Recombinant glutathione transferases from flufenacet-resistant black-grass (Alopecurus myosuroides Huds.) form different flufenacet metabolites and differ in their interaction with pre- and post-emergence herbicides

BACKGROUND

Black-grass (Alopecurus myosuroides Huds.) has become a problematic weed in cereals in Europe. Besides resistance to post-emergent herbicides becoming increasingly widespread, enhanced metabolism of inhibitors of the synthesis of very-long-chain fatty acids (VLCFAs), such as flufenacet, is evolving. Yet, cross-resistance patterns and evolution of this resistance remains poorly understood.

RESULTS

The cDNA sequences of five glutathione transferases (GSTs) upregulated in flufenacet resistant black-grass were identified and used for recombinant protein expression. Moderate to slow detoxification of flufenacet was verified for all candidate GSTs expressed in E. coli, and the most active protein produced flufenacet-alcohol instead of a glutathione conjugate, in the presence of reduced glutathione (GSH). Moreover, cross-resistance to other VLCFA-inhibitors e.g., acetochlor and pyroxasulfone and the ACCase inhibitor fenoxaprop was verified in vitro. Various other herbicides of different modes of action including VLCFA-inhibitors were not detoxified by the candidate GSTs.

CONCLUSIONS

As several in planta upregulated GSTs detoxified flufenacet in vitro, the shift in sensitivity observed in black-grass populations, is likely a result of an additive effect. The polygenic character and the relatively low turnover rate of the individual GSTs may explain the slow evolution of flufenacet resistance. In addition, flufenacet resistance was accompanied by cross-resistance with some, but not all, herbicides of the same mode of action, and furthermore to the ACCase inhibitor fenoxaprop-ethyl. Hence, not only the rotation of herbicide modes of action, but also of individual active ingredients is important for resistance management. © 2023 The Authors. Pest Management Science published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd on behalf of Society of Chemical Industry.

Enhanced production of water-soluble cinmethylin metabolites by Lolium rigidum populations with reduced cinmethylin sensitivity

BACKGROUND

Cinmethylin, a pre-emergence herbicide inhibiting fatty acid thioesterase activity, has recently been introduced to Australian cereal cropping for the control of Lolium rigidum Gaud. (annual ryegrass). To date, there have been no confirmed cases of cinmethylin resistance identified in this species, but some populations exhibit reduced sensitivity to this herbicide. To explore the mechanism which contributes to reduced sensitivity of annual ryegrass to cinmethylin, the extent and nature of cinmethylin metabolism, using carbon-14 (¹⁴ C)-labelled herbicide, were analysed in three reduced-sensitivity annual ryegrass populations, alongside a susceptible population and cinmethylin-tolerant wheat as controls.

RESULTS

All samples showed the same metabolite profile, with the extent of production of a specific water-soluble metabolite being correlated to the level of herbicide sensitivity. Application of the cytochrome P450 inhibitor phorate caused a decrease in water-soluble metabolite production as well as seedling growth in the presence of cinmethylin, indicating that reduced cinmethylin sensitivity in annual ryegrass could be wholly or partially due to oxidative modification of cinmethylin.

CONCLUSION

Because annual ryegrass has the potential to metabolize cinmethylin in the same way as wheat, careful stewardship is required to ensure the longevity of this herbicide. © 2022 The Authors. Pest Management Science published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd on behalf of Society of Chemical Industry.

Mefenacet resistance in multiple herbicide-resistant Echinochloa crus-galli L. populations

Echinochloa crus-galli L., a notorious weed in rice paddy fields, is usually kept under control by mefenacet application at the pre-emergence or early post-emergence stage. Due to continuous and repeated usage, E. crus-galli is developing resistance to mefenacet in China. Two putative resistant and one susceptible E. crus-galli populations were collected from paddy fields in Jiangsu Province to characterize their herbicide resistance. Compared with the susceptible population, the two mefenacet-resistant populations had 2.8- and 4.1-times greater pre-emergence resistance, and 10- and 6.8-times greater early post-emergence resistance to mefenacet. These mefenacet-resistant E. crus-galli populations also exhibited cross- or multiple-resistance to acetochlor, pyraclonil, imazamox, and quinclorac. However, when the glutathione S-transferase (GST) inhibitor 4-chloro-7-nitrobenzoxadiazole (NBD-Cl) was applied prior to post-emergence treatment, mefenacet resistance levels were reduced in both populations. Additionally, GST activity in vivo in one resistant population was much higher than the susceptible population after mefenacet application. The very long chain fatty acid elongases (VLCFAEs) from both mefenacet-resistant populations required much higher mefenacet concentration to inhibit their activity. The reduced sensitivity of VLCFAEs to mefenacet indicates the presence of a target-site resistance mechanism and induction of high GST activity may provide additional contribution to E. crus-galli mefenacet resistance through a non-target-site mechanism.