Molecular Plant-microbe Interactions最新文献

{"title":"Non-Nitrogen-Fixing <i>Sinorhizobium meliloti</i> Can Escape Sanctions in Indeterminate Alfalfa Nodules, Exhibiting Parasitic Growth.","authors":"Amanpreet K Brar, Katherine M Bilodeau, Darryl J Trickey, Calvin S Mackey, Bryce L Redfern, Gabrielle T Fisher, Ellen L Simms, Kathryn M Jones","doi":"10.1094/MPMI-06-25-0074-R","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1094/MPMI-06-25-0074-R","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>The soil bacterium <i>Sinorhizobium meliloti</i> can proliferate by leveraging its nitrogen-fixing symbiosis with legumes that form indeterminate root nodules, such as <i>Medicago sativa</i> (alfalfa) and <i>M. truncatula</i>. In contrast to determinate-nodulating legumes, e.g. <i>Glycine max</i> (soybean) and <i>Lotus japonicus</i>, indeterminate-nodulating legumes impose terminal differentiation on nitrogen-fixing (N₂-fixing) rhizobia. Thus, the bacterial population is split between those that benefit the plant by N₂ fixation, but are a reproductive dead end, and those that are undifferentiated, capable of resuming free-living growth, but not fixing nitrogen. We show that, in mixed nodules colonized by nearly-isogenic strains, with one N₂-fixing and one unable to fix N₂ (Fix-), alfalfa do not preferentially penalize the Fix- strain, allowing 'cheating' at the expense of the plant and the N₂-fixer. Thus, a Fix- strain that successfully co-nodulates with a N₂-fixing strain can benefit from resources the host provides to the nodule in response to N₂ fixed by the co-nodulating strain. Co-invasion of alfalfa nodules with a N₂-fixing strain may be a successful strategy for a Fix- strain to cheat both the plant that provides fixed carbon and the N₂-fixing strain.</p>","PeriodicalId":19009,"journal":{"name":"Molecular Plant-microbe Interactions","volume":" ","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":3.2,"publicationDate":"2025-06-25","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144485181","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"生物学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Population Genomics of <i>Macrophomina</i> spp. Reveals Cryptic Host Specialization and Evidence for Meiotic Recombination.","authors":"K K Pennerman, P Goldman, C J Dilla-Ermita, G Ramos, J H Jaime, J Lopez-Hernandez, J Ramos, M Aviles, C Borrero, A O Gomez, J M Neal, M Chilvers, V Ortiz, E H Stukenbrock, G H Goldman, A Mengistu, H D Lopez-Nicora, G O Sacher, N Vaghefi, L Kiss, J P Benz, A R Machado, T E Seijo, N A Peres, F N Martin, J C Broome, K Ivors, G S Cole, S J Knapp, D J McFarlane, S W Mattner, M Gambardella, E Gluck-Thaler, P M Henry","doi":"10.1094/MPMI-03-25-0032-R","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1094/MPMI-03-25-0032-R","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>Knowledge of the factors structuring populations of pathogenic fungi is fundamental to disease management efforts and basic biology. However, this crucial information is missing for many important pathogens, including broad host range and drought-associated pathogens from the globally distributed <i>Macrophomina</i> genus. The objectives of this work were to evaluate the evidence for host specialization, geographic adaptation, and recombination using a global survey of <i>Macrophomina</i> isolates from diverse geographic, temporal, and host sources. We obtained high-quality short-read sequence data for 463 <i>Macrophomina</i> spp. isolates, representing four putative species, collected from 91 host plant species and soil in 23 countries. Analysis of bi-allelic, single nucleotide polymorphismsrevealed high diversity, admixture, and equal mating type ratios suggesting on-going recombination. Although most tested isolates asymptomatically colonized strawberry, only strawberry-derived isolates caused disease on this host. These isolates were all in a single lineage, suggesting the ability to cause disease on strawberry is not widespread among <i>M. phaseolina</i>. Significant associations were also found between isolation from soybean plants and specific population clusters, suggesting that specialization for virulence or reproduction has also occurred for soybean. Geography × isolate genotype associations were weak, suggesting <i>Macrophomina</i> spp. were frequently trafficked between regions. Reference free whole genome comparisons support current boundaries among four <i>Macrophomina</i> species, and new molecular markers were designed to specifically identify each species. Contrary to expectations, <i>M. phaseolina</i> should be considered a single species with both specialist and generalist populations in which meiosis can maintain genetic diversity.</p>","PeriodicalId":19009,"journal":{"name":"Molecular Plant-microbe Interactions","volume":" ","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":3.2,"publicationDate":"2025-06-19","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144485182","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"生物学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Systematic Characterization of the Nine Components Involved in the MAPK Cascades in Peach Shoot Blight Fungus <i>Diaporthe amygdali</i>.","authors":"Lina Yang, Jingpu Hao, Lingyun Wang, Xun Liu, Jinhua Liu, Yue Zhang, Hengsong Shi, Zhipeng Lv, Shiyuan Cao, Wanzhen Feng, Lianwei Li, Zhaolin Ji","doi":"10.1094/MPMI-06-25-0071-R","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1094/MPMI-06-25-0071-R","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>As a causative agent of peach shoot blight, <i>Diaporthe amygdali</i> poses a substantial threat to the peach industry. However, no molecular studies on this pathogen have been reported to date. The three mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK) cascades are highly conserved among fungal species, and exert a considerable influence on the developmental and pathogenic processes of these organisms. Here, the genome of <i>D. amygdali</i> strain ZN32 was sequenced performed and compared with that of four other <i>Diaporthe</i> isolates. Nine proteins involved in the three MAPK cascades were identified: Mst11-Mst7-Pmk1 (Pmk1-MAPK cascade), Mck1-Mkk1-Mps1(Mps1-MAPK cascade), and Ssk2-Pbs2-Osm1(Osm1-MAPK cascade). Deletion of the genes encoding the Pmk1- and Mps1-MAPK cascade proteins and an adaptor protein DaMst50 significantly attenuated vegetative growth, abolished asexual reproduction, compromised the stress response, impacted surface hydrophobicity, and markedly reduced pathogenicity of <i>D. amygdali</i>. However, deletion of the genes encoding the Osm1-MAPK cascade proteins only affected stress response regulation. Additionally, DaMst11 interacted with both DaMst7 and DaMst50, and no interactions were observed between other proteins in Pmk1- and Mps1-MAPK cascades using yeast two-hybrid system. Finally, heterologous expression of Pmk1-encoding genes from <i>Magnaporthe oryzae</i> and <i>Valsa mali</i> completely rescued the asexual reproduction and virulence defects in the Δ<i>Dapmk1</i> mutants, but only partially restored its vegetative growth. Overall, our findings expand the existing knowledge about the role of the MAPK cascades in plant pathogenic fungi. The genomic information and genetic transformation system by this study will greatly contribute to help toward elucidating the pathogenic mechanism of <i>D. amygdali</i> and effectively managing orchard diseases.</p>","PeriodicalId":19009,"journal":{"name":"Molecular Plant-microbe Interactions","volume":" ","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":3.2,"publicationDate":"2025-06-19","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144485183","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"生物学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"The TALE Effector PthA4 of <i>Xanthomonas citri</i> subsp. <i>citri</i> Indirectly Activates an Expansin Gene <i>CsEXP2</i> and an Endoglucanase <i>CsEG1</i> via CsLOB1 to Cause Citrus Canker Symptoms.","authors":"Rikky Rai, Nian Wang","doi":"10.1094/MPMI-03-25-0030-R","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1094/MPMI-03-25-0030-R","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>Citrus canker caused by <i>Xanthomonas citri</i> subsp. <i>citri</i> (Xcc) is an important citrus disease worldwide. <i>PthA4</i> is the most important pathogenicity gene of Xcc and encodes a transcription activator like effector (TALE) secreted by the type III secretion system. PthA4 is known to activate the expression of <i>CsLOB1</i>, the canker susceptibility gene and a transcription factor, to cause citrus canker symptoms. Extensive effort was made to identify downstream targets of CsLOB1 to investigate the mechanism underlying canker symptom development. However, none of identified CsLOB1 target genes have been confirmed to be involved in citrus canker development. Here, we first identified the direct targets of CsLOB1 by generating promoter-<i>uidA</i> (GUS) reporter fusion construct for the 13 genes highly induced by both PthA4 and CsLOB1 and monitored the reporter activity in <i>N. benthamiana</i> leaves co-expressing <i>CsLOB1</i>. <i>Agrobacterium tumefaciens</i>-mediated transient expression of <i>CsLOB1</i> activated seven gene promoters in <i>N. benthamiana</i> including Cs7g18460, Orange1.1t00600, Cs6g17190, Cs7g32410 (<i>CsEXP2</i>), Cs2g27100, Cs2g20750 (<i>CsEG1</i>), and Cs9g17380. Next, we constructed dTALEs to target unique sequences in the promoters of the seven direct target genes of CsLOB1 and transformed them into Xcc<i>pthA4</i>::Tn5 mutant. Our results indicate that a combination of 5 and 7 dTALEs caused canker-like symptoms in the inoculated citrus leaves. In addition, dTALECsEXP2 and dTALECsEG1 caused water soaking and pustules, which are typical canker symptoms. Taken together, Xcc indirectly activates CsEXP2 and CsEG1 via PthA4-CsLOB1 to cause canker symptoms. Identification of direct targets of CsLOB1 provides alternative targets for genetic improvement of citrus against canker via genome editing.</p>","PeriodicalId":19009,"journal":{"name":"Molecular Plant-microbe Interactions","volume":" ","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":3.2,"publicationDate":"2025-06-16","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144302565","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"生物学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Salicylic Acid Plays a Major Role in Potato Defense Against Powdery Scab Pathogen, <i>Spongospora subterranea</i> f. sp<i>. subterranea</i>.","authors":"Samodya K Jayasinghe, Natalia Moroz, Peiguo Yuan, Michael V Kolomiets, Kiwamu Tanaka","doi":"10.1094/MPMI-12-24-0154-R","DOIUrl":"10.1094/MPMI-12-24-0154-R","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>Potato powdery scab, caused by the soilborne pathogen <i>Spongospora subterranea</i> f. sp. <i>subterranea</i> (<i>Sss</i>), poses a significant threat to potato production, reducing potato value and impacting fresh market quality. Effective management strategies for this disease are currently lacking, and <i>Sss</i> is widespread in many potato-growing regions, highlighting the urgent need for effective control measures. Although the use of disease-resistant cultivars holds potential as a sustainable solution, the genetic mechanisms underlying resistance to <i>Sss</i> remain unclear. In this study, we investigated the role of the defense-related phytohormone salicylic acid (SA) in potato resistance to <i>Sss</i>. Initial analyses of defense gene expression revealed transcriptional reprogramming in response to <i>Sss</i> infection in potato hairy root cultures. Quantification of defense-related phytohormones further demonstrated a significant increase in SA levels in <i>Sss</i>-infected roots, whereas other phytohormones, jasmonic acid and ethylene, showed no substantial variation. Pretreatment of hairy roots with SA resulted in a marked reduction in <i>Sss</i> propagation, suggesting that SA contributes to induced resistance against the pathogen. To further elucidate the role of SA, we utilized transgenic potato hairy roots overexpressing the tomato SA receptor gene <i>SlNPR1</i> to enhance SA sensitivity or expressing the bacterial <i>nahG</i> gene to deplete endogenous SA. Our findings showed reduced <i>Sss</i> growth in <i>SlNPR1</i> overexpression lines, whereas <i>nahG</i> lines exhibited increased pathogen proliferation. These findings were further validated in fully grown potato plants using a pot assay. Collectively, our results indicate that SA plays a pivotal role in mediating resistance to powdery scab in potato. [Formula: see text] Copyright © 2025 The Author(s). This is an open access article distributed under the CC BY-NC-ND 4.0 International license.</p>","PeriodicalId":19009,"journal":{"name":"Molecular Plant-microbe Interactions","volume":" ","pages":"MPMI12240154R"},"PeriodicalIF":3.2,"publicationDate":"2025-06-12","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143468639","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"生物学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"<i>Phytophthora cinnamomi</i> Populations Affecting Avocado in California Show Low Differentiation, Phenotypic Variability, and Introductions from Mexico.","authors":"Aidan C Shands, Alejandra Mondragon-Flores, Valentina Valencia, Vanessa Hua, Nicholas C Cauldron, Niklaus J Grunwald, Sylvia P Fernandez-Pavia, Patricia M Manosalva","doi":"10.1094/MPMI-08-24-0101-R","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1094/MPMI-08-24-0101-R","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>Phytophthora root rot (PRR), caused by <i>Phytophthora cinnamomi</i>, is one of the most devastating avocado diseases worldwide. We previously reported a group of genetically distinct, more virulent, and less fungicide-sensitive isolates corresponding to the A2 clade II clonal population in southern avocado-growing regions in California that may have originated from Mexico. To test this hypothesis, we assessed the genetic and phenotypic diversity of the California and Mexico avocado <i>P. cinnamomi</i> populations. We found that <i>P. cinnamomi</i> populations at these two locations belong to the two previously described A2 clades. Higher genetic differentiation was detected among Mexican isolates when compared with the populations from California, however, most Mexican isolates clustered with the California A2 clade II populations providing evidence for the Mexican origin of these isolates in southern avocado-growing regions. With the exception of one diploid Mexican isolate, all isolates were estimated to be triploid based on inferred allele ratios. Despite clonality, wide phenotypic variability was detected within and among populations regarding growth rate, optimal growth temperature, fungicide sensitivity, and virulence. Interestingly, contrasting virulence patterns were found depending on the host and infected tissue utilized. This study reveals the adaptative capacity of clonal <i>P. cinnamomi</i> populations to local environments and control methods. Pathogen migration between Mexico and California was also inferred which highlights a pathway that should be surveilled if further emergence is to be avoided. Monitoring and characterizing the <i>P. cinnamomi</i> populations is critical to develop effective and durable PRR control methods to ensure the sustainability of the avocado industry worldwide.</p>","PeriodicalId":19009,"journal":{"name":"Molecular Plant-microbe Interactions","volume":" ","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":3.2,"publicationDate":"2025-06-05","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144226033","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"生物学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"A Chromosome-Scale Genome Assembly of the Flax Rust Fungus Reveals the Two Unusually Large Effector Proteins, AvrM3 and AvrN.","authors":"Jana Sperschneider, Jian Chen, Claire Anderson, Emmanuelle Morin, Xiaoxiao Zhang, David Lewis, Eva Henningsen, Igor V Grigoriev, John P Rathjen, David A Jones, Sebastien Duplessis, Peter N Dodds","doi":"10.1094/MPMI-04-25-0047-R","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1094/MPMI-04-25-0047-R","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>Rust fungi comprise thousands of species many of which cause disease on important crop plants. The flax rust fungus <i>Melampsora lini</i> has been a model species for the genetic dissection of plant immunity since the 1940s, however the highly fragmented and incomplete reference genome has so far hindered progress in effector gene discovery. Here, we generate a fully-phased, chromosome-scale assembly of the two nuclear genomes of <i>M. lini</i> strain CH5, resolving an additional 320 Mbp of sequence. The 482 Mbp dikaryotic genome is at least 79% repetitive with a large proportion (~40%) of the genome comprised of young, highly similar transposable elements. The assembly resolves the known effector gene loci some of which carry complex duplications that were collapsed in the previous assembly. Using a genetic map followed by manual correction of gene models, we identify the <i>AvrM3</i> and <i>AvrN</i> genes which encode unusually large fungal effector proteins and trigger defense responses when co-expressed with the corresponding resistance genes. We locate the genes linked to the tetrapolar mating system on chromosomes 4 and 9, but in contrast to the cereal rusts which have one pheromone receptor gene per haplotype, in flax rust three pheromone receptor genes are found with two of them closely linked on one haplotype. Taken together, we show that a high-quality assembly is crucial for resolving complex gene loci and given the increasing number of fungal effectors of large size, the commonly applied criterion for effector candidates as being small proteins needs to be reconsidered.</p>","PeriodicalId":19009,"journal":{"name":"Molecular Plant-microbe Interactions","volume":" ","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":3.2,"publicationDate":"2025-05-28","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144174188","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"生物学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Exploiting <i>Pseudomonas syringae</i> Type 3 Secretion to Study Effector Contribution to Disease in Spinach.","authors":"Melanie Mendel, Xander C L Zuijdgeest, Femke van den Berg, Leroy van der Meer, Joyce Elberse, Petros Skiadas, Michael F Seidl, Guido Van den Ackerveken, Ronnie de Jonge","doi":"10.1094/MPMI-04-25-0042-R","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1094/MPMI-04-25-0042-R","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>Intensive spinach cultivation creates favourable conditions for the emergence and rapid evolution of pathogens, leading to substantial economic losses. Research on host-pathogen interactions in leafy greens would benefit from advanced biotechnological tools, however absence of such tools in spinach hampers our understanding of spinach immunity. Here, we explored the potential of Type III Secretion System (T3SS)-mediated effector delivery to study pathogen effector activity in spinach. We identified the <i>Pseudomonas syringae</i> pv. <i>tomato</i> DC3000 (DC3000) polymutant D36E, which lacks 36 known T3SS effectors (T3Es), as a promising T3SS-dependent effector delivery system for spinach. Unlike DC3000, which causes necrotic symptoms on spinach and reaches high bacterial titres, D36E did not proliferate and caused no visible symptoms. Using D36E, we screened 28 DC3000 T3Es in spinach, assessing symptom development, bacterial proliferation, and reactive oxygen species (ROS) bursts as a proxy for early immune responses. AvrE1 and HopM1 emerged as key determinants of DC3000-like infection, inducing water-soaked lesions, while HopAD1 strongly suppressed ROS production. Our findings establish the D36E-based effector delivery system as a powerful tool for high-throughput effector studies in spinach. It bridges the gap between genomics-based effector predictions and experimental validation, paving the way for knowledge-driven resistance breeding in non-model crops like spinach.</p>","PeriodicalId":19009,"journal":{"name":"Molecular Plant-microbe Interactions","volume":" ","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":3.2,"publicationDate":"2025-05-21","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144120353","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"生物学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"An RGAE Homolog in <i>Fusarium graminearum</i> Is Critical for Initial Infection in Wheat and Barley.","authors":"Nicholas Rhoades, Todd A Naumann, Hye-Seon Kim, Gabdiel Yulfo-Soto, Susan McCormick, Michael J Bowman, Martha Vaughn, Guixia Hao","doi":"10.1094/MPMI-03-25-0027-R","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1094/MPMI-03-25-0027-R","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p><i>Fusarium graminearum</i> is the primary causal agent of Fusarium head blight (FHB), a devastating fungal disease on wheat, barley, and other grains. During infection, <i>F. graminearum</i> produces trichothecene mycotoxins, predominately deoxynivalenol (DON), which contaminate grain and reduce grain yield and quality. Although DON functions as a virulence factor to promote <i>F. graminearum</i> spread in the wheat head, it is not essential for establishing initial infection in wheat or barley. When fungal pathogens, such as <i>F. graminearum</i>, infect a host plant, they secrete hundreds of protein effectors that interfere with plant immunity to promote disease. A recent study identified hundreds of putative effector-encoding genes that are conserved across six <i>Fusarium</i> species. In the current study, we selected a subset of 50 conserved effectors from <i>F. graminearum</i> PH-1 and determined their expression on wheat heads over a seven-day infection period. Gene expression analysis revealed that several genes were highly induced in wheat heads during fungal infection. One of them was a putative rhamnogalacturonan acetylesterase homolog (<i>FgRGAE</i>), which was also highly induced in barley heads. FHB virulence assays showed that deletion mutants of <i>FgRGAE</i> significantly reduced initial infection and DON accumulation in wheat and barley heads compared to wild-type controls. Replacing the <i>FgRGAE::Hyg</i> deletion construct with a <i>FgRGAE^ORF+::Gen</i> construct at the native locus restored FHB disease to wild-type levels in both wheat and barley heads. <i>FgRGAE</i> may serve as an ideal target to reduce FHB and mycotoxin contamination in wheat and barley.</p>","PeriodicalId":19009,"journal":{"name":"Molecular Plant-microbe Interactions","volume":" ","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":3.2,"publicationDate":"2025-05-14","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144079140","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"生物学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Comparative Transcriptomic and Microscopic Analyses of a Wild Wheat Relative Reveal Novel Mechanisms of Immune Suppression by the Pathogen <i>Zymoseptoria tritici</i>.","authors":"Rune Hansen, Wagner C Fagundes, Eva H Stukenbrock","doi":"10.1094/MPMI-11-24-0147-R","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1094/MPMI-11-24-0147-R","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>The plant pathogenic fungus <i>Zymoseptoria tritici</i> is the causal agent of the devasting Septoria tritici blotch, a major wheat disease, with limited resistance genes identified. <i>Aegilops cylindrica</i>, a wild relative of wheat, is resistant to <i>Z. tritici</i> isolates originating from cultivated wheat but susceptible to <i>Z. tritici</i> isolates derived from <i>Aegilops</i> species. Therefore, <i>A. cylindrica</i> provides an intriguing model system to identify novel resistance genes against <i>Z. tritici</i>. We here integrated plant infection experiments, advanced microscopy and comparative transcriptome analyses to identify new putative resistance mechanisms against <i>Z. tritici</i>. We therefore constructed a de novo transcriptome assembly of <i>A. cylindrica</i> during compatible and incompatible plant-pathogen interactions across different infection stages using the two <i>Z. tritici</i> isolates Zt469 and IPO323. Our microscope analyses identify the substomatal cavity as a crucial checkpoint for <i>Z. tritici</i> infection where infection by incompatible isolates is aborted. In the compatible interaction, based on the transcriptome analyses, we reveal suppression of several key resistance-associated genes, including homologues of known resistance genes (e.g., <i>RPM1</i>- and <i>RPP13</i>-like) and certain pathogenesis related (PR) genes encoding various lipid transfer proteins (PR-14) and an apoplastic subtilisin-like protease <i>SBT3.6</i>-like (PR-7), none so far known to be involved in resistance towards <i>Z. tritici</i>. In the incompatible interaction we find a different set of upregulated genes compared to genes up-regulated in the immune response in resistant wheat cultivars. The de novo transcriptome assembly presented here provides a new valuable resource for wheat genetics and points novel immune pathways which may determine resistance against <i>Z. tritici</i>.</p>","PeriodicalId":19009,"journal":{"name":"Molecular Plant-microbe Interactions","volume":" ","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":3.2,"publicationDate":"2025-05-09","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144028512","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"生物学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}