Production of reactive oxygen intermediates (ROI) and a form of programmed
cell death called hypersensitive response (HR) are often associated with di
sease resistance of plants. We have previously shown that the Pac homolog o
f rice, OsRac1, is a regulator of ROI production and cell death in rice. He
re we show that the constitutively active OsRac1 (i) causes HR-like respons
es and greatly reduces disease lesions against a virulent race of the rice
blast fungus; (ii) causes resistance against a Virulent race of bacterial b
light; and (iii) causes enhanced production of a phytoalexin and alters exp
ression of defense-related genes. The dominant-negative OsRac1 suppresses e
licitor-induced ROI production in transgenic cell cultures, and in plants s
uppresses the HR induced by the avirulent race of the fungus. Taken togethe
r, our findings strongly suggest that OsRac1 has a general role in disease
resistance of rice.