scholarly journals Fungal phytopathogens encode functional homologues of plant rapid alkalinization factor (RALF) peptides

2016 ◽  
Vol 18 (6) ◽  
pp. 811-824 ◽  
Author(s):  
Elisha Thynne ◽  
Isabel M. L. Saur ◽  
Jaime Simbaqueba ◽  
Huw A. Ogilvie ◽  
Yvonne Gonzalez-Cendales ◽  
...  
2018 ◽  
Vol 51 (2) ◽  
Author(s):  
Shahzad Munir ◽  
Nadeem Ahmed ◽  
Muhammad Abid ◽  
Shafiq Ur Rehman ◽  
Muhammad Ashraf ◽  
...  

2021 ◽  
Vol 21 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Garima Bhatia ◽  
Santosh K. Upadhyay ◽  
Anuradha Upadhyay ◽  
Kashmir Singh

Abstract Background Long non-coding RNAs (lncRNAs) are regulatory transcripts of length > 200 nt. Owing to the rapidly progressing RNA-sequencing technologies, lncRNAs are emerging as considerable nodes in the plant antifungal defense networks. Therefore, we investigated their role in Vitis vinifera (grapevine) in response to obligate biotrophic fungal phytopathogens, Erysiphe necator (powdery mildew, PM) and Plasmopara viticola (downy mildew, DM), which impose huge agro-economic burden on grape-growers worldwide. Results Using computational approach based on RNA-seq data, 71 PM- and 83 DM-responsive V. vinifera lncRNAs were identified and comprehensively examined for their putative functional roles in plant defense response. V. vinifera protein coding sequences (CDS) were also profiled based on expression levels, and 1037 PM-responsive and 670 DM-responsive CDS were identified. Next, co-expression analysis-based functional annotation revealed their association with gene ontology (GO) terms for ‘response to stress’, ‘response to biotic stimulus’, ‘immune system process’, etc. Further investigation based on analysis of domains, enzyme classification, pathways enrichment, transcription factors (TFs), interactions with microRNAs (miRNAs), and real-time quantitative PCR of lncRNAs and co-expressing CDS pairs suggested their involvement in modulation of basal and specific defense responses such as: Ca2+-dependent signaling, cell wall reinforcement, reactive oxygen species metabolism, pathogenesis related proteins accumulation, phytohormonal signal transduction, and secondary metabolism. Conclusions Overall, the identified lncRNAs provide insights into the underlying intricacy of grapevine transcriptional reprogramming/post-transcriptional regulation to delay or seize the living cell-dependent pathogen growth. Therefore, in addition to defense-responsive genes such as TFs, the identified lncRNAs can be further examined and leveraged to candidates for biotechnological improvement/breeding to enhance fungal stress resistance in this susceptible fruit crop of economic and nutritional importance.


Pathogens ◽  
2020 ◽  
Vol 9 (3) ◽  
pp. 172
Author(s):  
Maqsood Ahmed Khaskheli ◽  
Lijuan Wu ◽  
Guoqing Chen ◽  
Long Chen ◽  
Sajid Hussain ◽  
...  

Rice (Oryza sativa L.) is a major cereal food crop worldwide, and its growth and yield are affected by several fungal phytopathogens, including Magnaporthe oryzae, Fusarium graminearum, F. moniliforme, and Rhizoctonia solani. In the present study, we have isolated and characterized root-associated bacterial endophytes that have antifungal activities against rice fungal phytopathogens. A total of 122 root-associated bacterial endophytes, belonging to six genera (Bacillus, Fictibacillus, Lysinibacillus, Paenibacillus, Cupriavidus, and Microbacterium) and 22 species were isolated from three rice cultivars. Furthermore, the 16S rRNA sequence-based phylogeny results revealed that Bacillus was the most dominant bacterial genera, and that there were 15 different species among the isolates. Moreover, 71 root-associated endophytes showed antagonistic effects against four major fungal phytopathogens, including M. oryzae, F. graminearum, F. moniliforme, and R. solani. Additionally, the biochemical, physiological, and PCR amplification results of the antibiotic-related genes further supported the endophytes as potential biocontrolling agents against the rice fungal pathogens. Consequently, the findings in this study suggested that the isolated bacterial endophytes might have beneficial roles in rice defense responses, including several bioactive compound syntheses. The outcomes of this study advocate the use of natural endophytes as an alternative strategy towards the rice resistance response.


2012 ◽  
Vol 11 (8) ◽  
pp. 1055-1066 ◽  
Author(s):  
Matthias Kretschmer ◽  
Jana Klose ◽  
James W. Kronstad

ABSTRACTAn understanding of metabolic adaptation during the colonization of plants by phytopathogenic fungi is critical for developing strategies to protect crops. Lipids are abundant in plant tissues, and fungal phytopathogens in the phylum basidiomycota possess both peroxisomal and mitochondrial β-oxidation pathways to utilize this potential carbon source. Previously, we demonstrated a role for the peroxisomal β-oxidation enzyme Mfe2 in the filamentous growth, virulence, and sporulation of the maize pathogenUstilago maydis. However,mfe2mutants still caused disease symptoms, thus prompting a more detailed investigation of β-oxidation. We now demonstrate that a defect in thehad1gene encoding hydroxyacyl coenzyme A dehydrogenase for mitochondrial β-oxidation also influences virulence, although its paralog,had2, makes only a minor contribution. Additionally, we identified a gene encoding a polypeptide with similarity to the C terminus of Mfe2 and designated it Mfe2b; this gene makes a contribution to virulence only in the background of anmfe2Δ mutant. We also show that short-chain fatty acids induce cell death inU. maydisand that a block in β-oxidation leads to toxicity, likely because of the accumulation of toxic intermediates. Overall, this study reveals that β-oxidation has a complex influence on the formation of disease symptoms byU. maydisthat includes potential metabolic contributions to proliferationin plantaand an effect on virulence-related morphogenesis.


2015 ◽  
Vol 2015 ◽  
pp. 1-21 ◽  
Author(s):  
Th. Kamala ◽  
S. Indira Devi ◽  
K. Chandradev Sharma ◽  
K. Kennedy

Towards assessing the genetic diversity and occurrence ofTrichodermaspecies from the Indian region of Indo-Burma Biodiversity hotspot, a total of 193Trichodermastrains were isolated from cultivated soils of nine different districts of Manipur comprising 4 different agroclimatic zones. The isolates were grouped based on the morphological characteristics. ITS-RFLP of the rDNA region using three restriction digestion enzymes: Mob1, Taq1, and Hinf1, showed interspecific variations among 65 isolates ofTrichoderma. Based on ITS sequence data, a total of 22 different types of representativeTrichodermaspecies were reported and phylogenetic analysis showed 4 well-separated main clades in whichT. harzianumwas found to be the most prevalent spp. among all theTrichodermaspp. Combined molecular and phenotypic data leads to the development of a taxonomy of all the 22 differentTrichodermaspp., which was reported for the first time from this unique region. All these species were found to produce different extrolites and enzymes responsible for the biocontrol activities against the harmful fungal phytopathogens that hamper in food production. This potential indigenousTrichodermaspp. can be targeted for the development of suitable bioformulation against soil and seedborne pathogens in sustainable agricultural practice.


Development ◽  
1996 ◽  
Vol 122 (11) ◽  
pp. 3549-3556 ◽  
Author(s):  
O.B. Cleaver ◽  
K.D. Patterson ◽  
P.A. Krieg

Drosophila tinman is an NK-class homeobox gene required for formation of the dorsal vessel, the insect equivalent of the vertebrate heart. Vertebrate sequences related to tinman, such as mouse Nkx-2.5, chicken cNkx-2.5, Xenopus XNkx-2.5 and XNkx-2.3 are expressed in cardiac precursors and in tissues involved in induction of cardiac mesoderm. Mice which lack a functional Nkx-2.5 gene die due to cardiac defects. To determine the role of tinman-related sequences in heart development, we have overexpressed both XNkx-2.3 and XNkx-2.5 in Xenopus laevis embryos. The resulting embryos are morphologically normal except that they have enlarged hearts. The enlarged heart phenotype is due to a thickening of the myocardium caused by an increase in the overall number of myocardial cells (hyperplasia). Neither ectopic nor precocious expression of cardiac differentiation markers is detectable in overexpressing embryos. These results suggest that both XNkx-2.3 and XNkx-2.5 are functional homologues of tinman, responsible for maintenance of the heart field.


Plant Disease ◽  
2014 ◽  
Vol 98 (10) ◽  
pp. 1364-1370 ◽  
Author(s):  
Feng Zhou ◽  
Hong-Jie Liang ◽  
Ya-Li Di ◽  
Hong You ◽  
Fu-Xing Zhu

Growth and virulence stimulations of sublethal doses of fungicides on plant-pathogenic fungi and oomycetes have been reported and the stimulatory effects are potentially relevant to plant disease management. Sclerotinia sclerotiorum is one of the most devastating and economically important necrotrophic fungal phytopathogens, capable of infecting more than 400 species of plants worldwide. In order to study stimulatory effects of sublethal doses of fungicides on S. sclerotiorum, 55 dimethachlon-sensitive isolates and 3 dimethachlon-resistant isolates of S. sclerotiorum were assayed to determine effects of sublethal doses of dimethachlon on mycelial growth rate on potato dextrose agar (PDA) media and virulence on oilseed rape plants. Results showed that all 3 dimethachlon-resistant isolates and 13 of the 55 sensitive isolates exhibited stimulatory responses to sublethal doses of dimethachlon. Dimethachlon-resistant isolates grew significantly (P < 0.05) faster on PDA media amended with dimethachlon at 0.5 to 4 μg/ml than on fungicide-free PDA media. As for virulence on detached leaves of oilseed rape plants, lesion diameters of dimethachlon-resistant isolates after growth on PDA media amended with dimethachlon at 0.5 to 2 μg/ml were significantly larger (P < 0.05) than the control. The maximum stimulatory effects were 42.40 to 59.80%. In pot experiments, for both dimethachlon-sensitive and -resistant isolates, significant (P < 0.05) virulence stimulations were observed after spraying with dimethachlon at a concentration of 2 μg/ml. After growing on dimethachlon-amended PDA media, H2O2 sensitivity of S. sclerotiorum decreased significantly (P < 0.05) compared with the nonamended PDA control.


Plants ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 10 (11) ◽  
pp. 2424
Author(s):  
Aleksandr V. Ivanov ◽  
Irina V. Safenkova ◽  
Anatoly V. Zherdev ◽  
Boris B. Dzantiev

Rapid, sensitive, and timely diagnostics are essential for protecting plants from pathogens. Commonly, PCR techniques are used in laboratories for highly sensitive detection of DNA/RNA from viral, viroid, bacterial, and fungal pathogens of plants. However, using PCR-based methods for in-field diagnostics is a challenge and sometimes nearly impossible. With the advent of isothermal amplification methods, which provide amplification of nucleic acids at a certain temperature and do not require thermocyclic equipment, going beyond the laboratory has become a reality for molecular diagnostics. The amplification stage ceases to be limited by time and instruments. Challenges to solve involve finding suitable approaches for rapid and user-friendly plant preparation and detection of amplicons after amplification. Here, we summarize approaches for in-field diagnostics of phytopathogens based on different types of isothermal amplification and discuss their advantages and disadvantages. In this review, we consider a combination of isothermal amplification methods with extraction and detection methods compatible with in-field phytodiagnostics. Molecular diagnostics in out-of-lab conditions are of particular importance for protecting against viral, bacterial, and fungal phytopathogens in order to quickly prevent and control the spread of disease. We believe that the development of rapid, sensitive, and equipment-free nucleic acid detection methods is the future of phytodiagnostics, and its benefits are already visible.


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