Natural variations in the promoter of OsSWEET13 and OsSWEET14 expand the range of resistance against Xanthomonas oryzae pv. oryzae.

Bacterial blight, caused by Xanthomonas oryzae pv. oryzae (Xoo), is one of the major diseases that impact rice production in Asia. The bacteria use transcription activator-like effectors (TALEs) to hijack the host transcription machinery and activate key susceptibility (S) genes, specifically members of the SWEET sucrose uniporters through the recognition of effector-binding element (EBEs) in the promoter regions.