Haustorium formation and a distinct biotrophic transcriptome characterize infection of Nicotiana benthamiana by the tree pathogen Phytophthora kernoviae

Abstract Virus-like particles (VLPs) can be used as nano-carriers and antigen-display systems in vaccine development and therapeutic applications. Conjugation of peptides or whole proteins to VLPs can be achieved using different methods such as the SpyTag/SpyCatcher system. Here we investigate the conjugation of tandem Hepatitis B core (tHBcAg) VLPs and the model antigen GFP in vivo in Nicotiana benthamiana. We show that tHBcAg VLPs could be successfully conjugated with GFP in the cytosol and ER without altering VLP formation or GFP fluorescence. Conjugation in the cytosol was more efficient when SpyCatcher was displayed on tHBcAg VLPs instead of being fused to GFP. This effect was even more obvious in the ER, showing that it is optimal to display SpyCatcher on the tHBcAg VLPs and SpyTag on the binding partner. To test transferability of the GFP results to other antigens, we successfully conjugated tHBcAg VLPs to the HIV capsid protein P24 in the cytosol. This work presents an efficient strategy which can lead to time and cost saving post-translational, covalent conjugation of recombinant proteins in plants.

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Validation of Reference Genes for Gene Expression Studies in Virus-Infected Nicotiana benthamiana Using Quantitative Real-Time PCR

PLoS ONE ◽

10.1371/journal.pone.0046451 ◽

2012 ◽

Vol 7 (9) ◽

pp. e46451 ◽

Cited By ~ 176

Author(s):

Deshui Liu ◽

Lindan Shi ◽

Chenggui Han ◽

Jialin Yu ◽

Dawei Li ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Gene Expression ◽

Real Time ◽

Real Time Pcr ◽

Nicotiana Benthamiana ◽

Reference Genes ◽

Quantitative Real Time Pcr ◽

Expression Studies ◽

Gene Expression Studies

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Harnessing a Transient Gene Expression System in Nicotiana benthamiana to Explore Plant Agrochemical Transporters

Plants ◽

10.3390/plants10030524 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 10 (3) ◽

pp. 524

Author(s):

Bingqi Wu ◽

Zhiting Chen ◽

Xiaohui Xu ◽

Ronghua Chen ◽

Siwei Wang ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Gene Expression ◽

Transient Expression ◽

Nicotiana Benthamiana ◽

Heterologous Gene Expression ◽

Expression System ◽

Functional Characterization ◽

Transient Gene Expression ◽

High Mobility ◽

Gene Expression System

Functional characterization of plant agrichemical transporters provided an opportunity to discover molecules that have a high mobility in plants and have the potential to increase the amount of pesticides reaching damage sites. Agrobacterium-mediated transient expression in tobacco is simple and fast, and its protein expression efficiency is high; this system is generally used to mediate heterologous gene expression. In this article, transient expression of tobacco nicotine uptake permease (NtNUP1) and rice polyamine uptake transporter 1 (OsPUT1) in Nicotiana benthamiana was performed to investigate whether this system is useful as a platform for studying the interactions between plant transporters and pesticides. The results showed that NtNUP1 increases nicotine uptake in N. benthamiana foliar discs and protoplasts, indicating that this transient gene expression system is feasible for studying gene function. Moreover, yeast expression of OsPUT1 apparently increases methomyl uptake. Overall, this method of constructing a transient gene expression system is useful for improving the efficiency of analyzing the functions of plant heterologous transporter-encoding genes and revealed that this system can be further used to study the functions of transporters and pesticides, especially their interactions.

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Detection of Rhodococcus fascians, the Causative Agent of Lily Fasciation in South Korea

Pathogens ◽

10.3390/pathogens10020241 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 10 (2) ◽

pp. 241

Author(s):

Joon Moh Park ◽

Jachoon Koo ◽

Se Won Kang ◽

Sung Hee Jo ◽

Jeong Mee Park

Keyword(s):

Phylogenetic Analysis ◽

South Korea ◽

Nicotiana Benthamiana ◽

Economic Value ◽

Virulence Gene ◽

Economic Losses ◽

Herbaceous Perennials ◽

Rhodococcus Fascians ◽

Different Strains

Rhodococcus fascians is an important pathogen that infects various herbaceous perennials and reduces their economic value. In this study, we examined R. fascians isolates carrying a virulence gene from symptomatic lily plants grown in South Korea. Phylogenetic analysis using the nucleotide sequences of 16S rRNA, vicA, and fasD led to the classification of the isolates into four different strains of R. fascians. Inoculation of Nicotiana benthamiana with these isolates slowed root growth and resulted in symptoms of leafy gall. These findings elucidate the diversification of domestic pathogenic R. fascians and may lead to an accurate causal diagnosis to help reduce economic losses in the bulb market.

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Genome-Wide Identification and Characterization of Long Noncoding RNAs Involved in Chinese Wheat Mosaic Virus Infection of Nicotiana benthamiana

Biology ◽

10.3390/biology10030232 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 10 (3) ◽

pp. 232

Author(s):

Weiran Zheng ◽

Haichao Hu ◽

Qisen Lu ◽

Peng Jin ◽

Linna Cai ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Virus Infection ◽

Mosaic Virus ◽

Nicotiana Benthamiana ◽

Noncoding Rnas ◽

Long Noncoding Rnas ◽

Differentially Expressed ◽

Genome Wide ◽

Chinese Wheat

Recent studies have shown that a large number of long noncoding RNAs (lncRNAs) can regulate various biological processes in animals and plants. Although lncRNAs have been identified in many plants, they have not been reported in the model plant Nicotiana benthamiana. Particularly, the role of lncRNAs in plant virus infection remains unknown. In this study, we identified lncRNAs in N. benthamiana response to Chinese wheat mosaic virus (CWMV) infection by RNA sequencing. A total of 1175 lncRNAs, including 65 differentially expressed lncRNAs, were identified during CWMV infection. We then analyzed the functions of some of these differentially expressed lncRNAs. Interestingly, one differentially expressed lncRNA, XLOC_006393, was found to participate in CWMV infection as a precursor to microRNAs in N. benthamiana. These results suggest that lncRNAs play an important role in the regulatory network of N. benthamiana in response to CWMV infection.

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