1
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Hu Y, Xin XF. A sweet story from Phytophthora-soybean interaction. Trends Microbiol 2023; 31:1093-1095. [PMID: 37770374 DOI: 10.1016/j.tim.2023.09.004] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/15/2023] [Revised: 08/31/2023] [Accepted: 09/11/2023] [Indexed: 09/30/2023]
Abstract
Phytopathogenic microbes obtain nutrients from host plants to support their growth and metabolism. A recent study by Zhu et al. revealed that the oomycete pathogen Phytophthora sojae upregulates the activity of soybean trehalose 6-phosphate synthase 6 (GmTPS6) and increases trehalose accumulation (through an effector PsAvh413) to promote nutritional gain.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yezhou Hu
- National Key Laboratory of Plant Molecular Genetics, CAS Center for Excellence in Molecular Plant Sciences, Institute of Plant Physiology and Ecology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shanghai 200032, China
| | - Xiu-Fang Xin
- National Key Laboratory of Plant Molecular Genetics, CAS Center for Excellence in Molecular Plant Sciences, Institute of Plant Physiology and Ecology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shanghai 200032, China; University of the Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100049, China; Chinese Academy of Sciences (CAS) and CAS John Innes Centre of Excellence for Plant and Microbial Sciences, Shanghai 200032, China.
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2
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Zhu X, Fang D, Li D, Zhang J, Jiang H, Guo L, He Q, Zhang T, Macho AP, Wang E, Shen QH, Wang Y, Zhou JM, Ma W, Qiao Y. Phytophthora sojae boosts host trehalose accumulation to acquire carbon and initiate infection. Nat Microbiol 2023; 8:1561-1573. [PMID: 37386076 DOI: 10.1038/s41564-023-01420-z] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/29/2022] [Accepted: 06/01/2023] [Indexed: 07/01/2023]
Abstract
Successful infection by pathogenic microbes requires effective acquisition of nutrients from their hosts. Root and stem rot caused by Phytophthora sojae is one of the most important diseases of soybean (Glycine max). However, the specific form and regulatory mechanisms of carbon acquired by P. sojae during infection remain unknown. In the present study, we show that P. sojae boosts trehalose biosynthesis in soybean through the virulence activity of an effector PsAvh413. PsAvh413 interacts with soybean trehalose-6-phosphate synthase 6 (GmTPS6) and increases its enzymatic activity to promote trehalose accumulation. P. sojae directly acquires trehalose from the host and exploits it as a carbon source to support primary infection and development in plant tissue. Importantly, GmTPS6 overexpression promoted P. sojae infection, whereas its knockdown inhibited the disease, suggesting that trehalose biosynthesis is a susceptibility factor that can be engineered to manage root and stem rot in soybean.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xiaoguo Zhu
- Shanghai Key Laboratory of Plant Molecular Sciences, College of Life Sciences, Shanghai Normal University, Shanghai, China
| | - Di Fang
- Shanghai Key Laboratory of Plant Molecular Sciences, College of Life Sciences, Shanghai Normal University, Shanghai, China
| | - Die Li
- Shanghai Key Laboratory of Plant Molecular Sciences, College of Life Sciences, Shanghai Normal University, Shanghai, China
| | - Jianing Zhang
- Shanghai Key Laboratory of Plant Molecular Sciences, College of Life Sciences, Shanghai Normal University, Shanghai, China
| | - Haixin Jiang
- Shanghai Key Laboratory of Plant Molecular Sciences, College of Life Sciences, Shanghai Normal University, Shanghai, China
| | - Liang Guo
- Shanghai Key Laboratory of Plant Molecular Sciences, College of Life Sciences, Shanghai Normal University, Shanghai, China
| | - Qingyuan He
- College of Life and Health Science, Anhui Science and Technology University, Fengyang, China
| | - Tianyu Zhang
- Key Laboratory of RNA Biology, CAS Center for Excellence in Biomacromolecules, Institute of Biophysics, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China
| | - Alberto P Macho
- Shanghai Center for Plant Stress Biology, CAS Center for Excellence in Molecular Plant Sciences, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shanghai, China
| | - Ertao Wang
- National Key Laboratory of Plant Molecular Genetics, Center for Excellence in Molecular Plant Sciences, Institute of Plant Physiology and Ecology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shanghai, China
| | - Qian-Hua Shen
- Institute of Genetics and Developmental Biology, Innovation Academy for Seed Design, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China
| | - Yuanchao Wang
- Department of Plant Pathology, Nanjing Agricultural University, Nanjing, China
| | - Jian-Min Zhou
- Institute of Genetics and Developmental Biology, Innovation Academy for Seed Design, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China
| | - Wenbo Ma
- The Sainsbury Laboratory, Norwich Research Park, Norwich, UK
| | - Yongli Qiao
- Shanghai Key Laboratory of Plant Molecular Sciences, College of Life Sciences, Shanghai Normal University, Shanghai, China.
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3
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Michels L, Bronkhorst J, Kasteel M, de Jong D, Albada B, Ketelaar T, Govers F, Sprakel J. Molecular sensors reveal the mechano-chemical response of Phytophthora infestans walls and membranes to mechanical and chemical stress. Cell Surf 2022; 8:100071. [PMID: 35059532 PMCID: PMC8760408 DOI: 10.1016/j.tcsw.2021.100071] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/30/2021] [Revised: 12/09/2021] [Accepted: 12/29/2021] [Indexed: 11/15/2022] Open
Abstract
Phytophthora infestans, causal agent of late blight in potato and tomato, remains challenging to control. Unravelling its biomechanics of host invasion, and its response to mechanical and chemical stress, could provide new handles to combat this devastating pathogen. Here we introduce two fluorescent molecular sensors, CWP-BDP and NR12S, that reveal the micromechanical response of the cell wall-plasma membrane continuum in P. infestans during invasive growth and upon chemical treatment. When visualized by live-cell imaging, CWP-BDP reports changes in cell wall (CW) porosity while NR12S reports variations in chemical polarity and lipid order in the plasma membrane (PM). During invasive growth, mechanical interactions between the pathogen and a surface reveal clear and localized changes in the structure of the CW. Moreover, the molecular sensors can reveal the effect of chemical treatment to CW and/or PM, thereby revealing the site-of-action of crop protection agents. This mechano-chemical imaging strategy resolves, non-invasively and with high spatio-temporal resolution, how the CW-PM continuum adapts and responds to abiotic stress, and provides information on the dynamics and location of cellular stress responses for which, to date, no other methods are available.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lucile Michels
- Physical Chemistry and Soft Matter, Wageningen University & Research, Stippeneng 4, 6708 WE, Wageningen, the Netherlands
| | - Jochem Bronkhorst
- Physical Chemistry and Soft Matter, Wageningen University & Research, Stippeneng 4, 6708 WE, Wageningen, the Netherlands
| | - Michiel Kasteel
- Laboratory of Phytopathology, Wageningen University & Research, Droevendaalsesteeg 1, 6708 PB, Wageningen, the Netherlands
- Laboratory of Cell Biology, Wageningen University & Research, Droevendaalsesteeg 1, 6708 PB, Wageningen, the Netherlands
| | - Djanick de Jong
- Physical Chemistry and Soft Matter, Wageningen University & Research, Stippeneng 4, 6708 WE, Wageningen, the Netherlands
| | - Bauke Albada
- Laboratory of Organic Chemistry, Wageningen University & Research, Stippeneng 4, 6708 WE, Wageningen, the Netherlands
| | - Tijs Ketelaar
- Laboratory of Cell Biology, Wageningen University & Research, Droevendaalsesteeg 1, 6708 PB, Wageningen, the Netherlands
| | - Francine Govers
- Laboratory of Phytopathology, Wageningen University & Research, Droevendaalsesteeg 1, 6708 PB, Wageningen, the Netherlands
| | - Joris Sprakel
- Physical Chemistry and Soft Matter, Wageningen University & Research, Stippeneng 4, 6708 WE, Wageningen, the Netherlands
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4
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Yang X, Huang Q, Xu J, Gao Z, Jiang X, Wu Y, Ye W, Liang Y. Transcriptome reveals BCAAs biosynthesis pathway is influenced by lovastatin and can act as a potential control target in Phytophthora sojae. J Appl Microbiol 2022; 133:3585-3595. [PMID: 36000236 DOI: 10.1111/jam.15792] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/16/2022] [Revised: 08/16/2022] [Accepted: 08/19/2022] [Indexed: 11/27/2022]
Abstract
AIMS Lovastatin has been indicated to impair growth and development of Phytophthora sojae. Therefore, this study was performed to understand the inhibitory mechanism of lovastatin and investigate the metabolic pathway potentially serviced as a new control target for this plant pathogen. METHODS AND RESULTS Whole transcriptome analysis of lovastatin-treated P. sojae was performed by RNA-sequencing. The results revealed that 84 genes were upregulated and 58 were downregulated with more than four-fold changes under treatment. Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes analysis indicated that the branched-chain amino acids (BCAAs) biosynthesis pathway was abundantly enriched. All enzymes in the BCAAs biosynthesis pathway were identified in the P. sojae genome. Moreover, the study found that the herbicide flumetsulam targeting acetohydroxyacid synthase (AHAS) of the BCAAs biosynthesis pathway could effectively inhibit mycelial growth of P. sojae. CONCLUSIONS Lovastatin treatment significantly influences the BCAAs biosynthesis pathway in P. sojae. Moreover, the herbicide flumetsulam targets AHAS and inhibits growth of P. sojae. SIGNIFICANCE AND IMPACT OF STUDY The present study revealed that BCAAs biosynthesis pathway was influenced by lovastatin treatment and its key enzyme AHAS was identified as a potential new control target, which provides clues for exploring more oomycides to control plant diseases caused by P. sojae.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xinyu Yang
- College of Plant Protection, Shenyang Agricultural University, Shenyang, Liaoning, China
| | - Qifeng Huang
- College of Plant Protection, Shenyang Agricultural University, Shenyang, Liaoning, China
| | - Jitao Xu
- College of Plant Protection, Shenyang Agricultural University, Shenyang, Liaoning, China
| | - Zhen Gao
- College of Plant Protection, Shenyang Agricultural University, Shenyang, Liaoning, China
| | - Xue Jiang
- College of Plant Protection, Shenyang Agricultural University, Shenyang, Liaoning, China
| | - Yuanhua Wu
- College of Plant Protection, Shenyang Agricultural University, Shenyang, Liaoning, China
| | - Wenwu Ye
- College of Plant Protection, Nanjing Agricultural University, Nanjing, Jiangsu, China
| | - Yue Liang
- College of Plant Protection, Shenyang Agricultural University, Shenyang, Liaoning, China
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5
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Golubeva TS, Cherenko VA, Sinitsyna OI, Kochetov AV. Molecular and Genetic Aspects of Potato Response to Late Blight Infection. RUSS J GENET+ 2022. [DOI: 10.1134/s1022795422020053] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/23/2022]
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6
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Dai H, Zhang X, Zhao B, Shi J, Zhang C, Wang G, Yu N, Wang E. Colonization of Mutualistic Mycorrhizal and Parasitic Blast Fungi Requires OsRAM2-Regulated Fatty Acid Biosynthesis in Rice. MOLECULAR PLANT-MICROBE INTERACTIONS : MPMI 2022; 35:178-186. [PMID: 34941378 DOI: 10.1094/mpmi-11-21-0270-r] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/14/2023]
Abstract
Arbuscular mycorrhizal (AM) fungi form a mutual association with the majority of land plants, including most angiosperms of the dicotyledon and monocotyledon lineages. The symbiosis is based upon bidirectional nutrient exchange between the host and symbiont that occurs between inner cortical cells of the root and branched AM hyphae called arbuscules that develop within these cells. Lipid transport and its regulation during the symbiosis have been intensively investigated in dicotyledon plants, especially legumes. Here, we characterize OsRAM2 and OsRAM2L, homologs of Medicago truncatula RAM2, and found that plants defective in OsRAM2 were unable to be colonized by AM fungi and showed impaired colonization by Magnaporthe oryzae. The induction of OsRAM2 and OsRAM2L is dependent on OsRAM1 and the common symbiosis signaling pathway pathway genes CCaMK and CYCLOPS, while overexpression of OsRAM1 results in increased expression of OsRAM2 and OsRAM2L. Collectively, our data show that the function and regulation of OsRAM2 is conserved in monocot and dicot plants and reveals that, similar to mutualistic fungi, pathogenic fungi have recruited RAM2-mediated fatty acid biosynthesis to facilitate invasion.[Formula: see text] Copyright © 2022 The Author(s). This is an open access article distributed under the CC BY-NC-ND 4.0 International license.
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Affiliation(s)
- Huiling Dai
- National Key Laboratory of Plant Molecular Genetics, CAS Center for Excellence in Molecular Plant Sciences, Institute of Plant Physiology and Ecology, SIBS, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shanghai 200032, China
| | - Xiaowei Zhang
- National Key Laboratory of Plant Molecular Genetics, CAS Center for Excellence in Molecular Plant Sciences, Institute of Plant Physiology and Ecology, SIBS, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shanghai 200032, China
| | - Boyu Zhao
- Shanghai Key Laboratory of Plant Molecular Sciences, College of Life Sciences, Shanghai Normal University, Shanghai 200234, China
| | - Jincai Shi
- National Key Laboratory of Plant Molecular Genetics, CAS Center for Excellence in Molecular Plant Sciences, Institute of Plant Physiology and Ecology, SIBS, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shanghai 200032, China
| | - Chi Zhang
- National Key Laboratory of Plant Molecular Genetics, CAS Center for Excellence in Molecular Plant Sciences, Institute of Plant Physiology and Ecology, SIBS, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shanghai 200032, China
| | - Gang Wang
- National Key Laboratory of Plant Molecular Genetics, CAS Center for Excellence in Molecular Plant Sciences, Institute of Plant Physiology and Ecology, SIBS, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shanghai 200032, China
| | - Nan Yu
- Shanghai Key Laboratory of Plant Molecular Sciences, College of Life Sciences, Shanghai Normal University, Shanghai 200234, China
| | - Ertao Wang
- National Key Laboratory of Plant Molecular Genetics, CAS Center for Excellence in Molecular Plant Sciences, Institute of Plant Physiology and Ecology, SIBS, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shanghai 200032, China
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7
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Ivanov AA, Ukladov EO, Golubeva TS. Phytophthora infestans: An Overview of Methods and Attempts to Combat Late Blight. J Fungi (Basel) 2021; 7:1071. [PMID: 34947053 PMCID: PMC8707485 DOI: 10.3390/jof7121071] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/21/2021] [Revised: 12/10/2021] [Accepted: 12/11/2021] [Indexed: 12/20/2022] Open
Abstract
Phytophthora infestans (Mont.) de Bary is one of the main pathogens in the agricultural sector. The most affected are the Solanaceae species, with the potato (Solanum tuberosum) and the tomato (Solanum lycopersicum) being of great agricultural importance. Ornamental Solanaceae can also host the pests Petunia spp., Calibrachoa spp., as well as the wild species Solanum dulcamara, Solanum sarrachoides, etc. Annual crop losses caused by this pathogen are highly significant. Although the interaction between P. infestans and the potato has been investigated for a long time, further studies are still needed. This review summarises the basic approaches in the fight against the late blight over the past 20 years and includes four sections devoted to methods of control: (1) fungicides; (2) R-gene-based resistance of potato species; (3) RNA interference approaches; (4) other approaches to control P. infestans. Based on the latest advances, we have provided a description of the significant advantages and disadvantages of each approach.
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Affiliation(s)
- Artemii A. Ivanov
- Institute of Cytology and Genetics SB RAS, 630090 Novosibirsk, Russia;
- Faculty of Natural Sciences, Novosibirsk State University, 630090 Novosibirsk, Russia;
| | - Egor O. Ukladov
- Faculty of Natural Sciences, Novosibirsk State University, 630090 Novosibirsk, Russia;
| | - Tatiana S. Golubeva
- Institute of Cytology and Genetics SB RAS, 630090 Novosibirsk, Russia;
- Faculty of Natural Sciences, Novosibirsk State University, 630090 Novosibirsk, Russia;
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8
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Rhizospheric microbiome: Bio-based emerging strategies for sustainable agriculture development and future perspectives. Microbiol Res 2021; 254:126901. [PMID: 34700186 DOI: 10.1016/j.micres.2021.126901] [Citation(s) in RCA: 23] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/15/2021] [Revised: 10/16/2021] [Accepted: 10/21/2021] [Indexed: 12/12/2022]
Abstract
In the light of intensification of cropping practices and changing climatic conditions, nourishing a growing global population requires optimizing environmental sustainability and reducing ecosystem impacts of food production. The use of microbiological systems to ameliorate the agricultural production in a sustainable and eco-friendly way is widespread accepted as a future key-technology. However, the multitude of interaction possibilities between the numerous beneficial microbes and plants in their habitat calls for systematic analysis and management of the rhizospheric microbiome. This review exploits present and future strategies for rhizospheric microbiome management with the aim to generate a comprehensive understanding of the known tools and techniques. Significant information on the structure and dynamics of rhizospheric microbiota of isolated microbial communities is now available. These microbial communities have beneficial effects including increased plant growth, essential nutrient acquisition, pathogens tolerance, and increased abiotic as well as biotic stress tolerance such as drought, temperature, salinity and antagonistic activities against the phyto-pathogens. A better and comprehensive understanding of the various effects and microbial interactions can be gained by application of molecular approaches as extraction of DNA/RNA and other biochemical markers to analyze microbial soil diversity. Novel techniques like interactome network analysis and split-ubiquitin system framework will enable to gain more insight into communication and interactions between the proteins from microbes and plants. The aim of the analysis tasks leads to the novel approach of Rhizosphere microbiome engineering. The capability of forming the rhizospheric microbiome in a defined way will allow combining several microbes (e.g. bacteria and fungi) for a given environment (soil type and climatic zone) in order to exert beneficial influences on specific plants. This integration will require a large-scale effort among academic researchers, industry researchers and farmers to understand and manage interactions of plant-microbiomes within modern farming systems, and is clearly a multi-domain approach and can be mastered only jointly by microbiology, mathematics and information technology. These innovations will open up a new avenue for designing and implementing intensive farming microbiome management approaches to maximize resource productivity and stress tolerance of agro-ecosystems, which in return will create value to the increasing worldwide population, for both food production and consumption.
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9
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Rodenburg SYA, Seidl MF, de Ridder D, Govers F. Uncovering the Role of Metabolism in Oomycete-Host Interactions Using Genome-Scale Metabolic Models. Front Microbiol 2021; 12:748178. [PMID: 34707596 PMCID: PMC8543037 DOI: 10.3389/fmicb.2021.748178] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/27/2021] [Accepted: 09/10/2021] [Indexed: 12/17/2022] Open
Abstract
Metabolism is the set of biochemical reactions of an organism that enables it to assimilate nutrients from its environment and to generate building blocks for growth and proliferation. It forms a complex network that is intertwined with the many molecular and cellular processes that take place within cells. Systems biology aims to capture the complexity of cells, organisms, or communities by reconstructing models based on information gathered by high-throughput analyses (omics data) and prior knowledge. One type of model is a genome-scale metabolic model (GEM) that allows studying the distributions of metabolic fluxes, i.e., the "mass-flow" through the network of biochemical reactions. GEMs are nowadays widely applied and have been reconstructed for various microbial pathogens, either in a free-living state or in interaction with their hosts, with the aim to gain insight into mechanisms of pathogenicity. In this review, we first introduce the principles of systems biology and GEMs. We then describe how metabolic modeling can contribute to unraveling microbial pathogenesis and host-pathogen interactions, with a specific focus on oomycete plant pathogens and in particular Phytophthora infestans. Subsequently, we review achievements obtained so far and identify and discuss potential pitfalls of current models. Finally, we propose a workflow for reconstructing high-quality GEMs and elaborate on the resources needed to advance a system biology approach aimed at untangling the intimate interactions between plants and pathogens.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sander Y. A. Rodenburg
- Laboratory of Phytopathology, Wageningen University & Research, Wageningen, Netherlands
- Bioinformatics Group, Wageningen University & Research, Wageningen, Netherlands
| | - Michael F. Seidl
- Laboratory of Phytopathology, Wageningen University & Research, Wageningen, Netherlands
- Theoretical Biology & Bioinformatics group, Department of Biology, Utrecht University, Wageningen, Netherlands
| | - Dick de Ridder
- Bioinformatics Group, Wageningen University & Research, Wageningen, Netherlands
| | - Francine Govers
- Laboratory of Phytopathology, Wageningen University & Research, Wageningen, Netherlands
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10
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Allwood JW, Williams A, Uthe H, van Dam NM, Mur LAJ, Grant MR, Pétriacq P. Unravelling Plant Responses to Stress-The Importance of Targeted and Untargeted Metabolomics. Metabolites 2021; 11:558. [PMID: 34436499 PMCID: PMC8398504 DOI: 10.3390/metabo11080558] [Citation(s) in RCA: 19] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/29/2021] [Revised: 08/10/2021] [Accepted: 08/16/2021] [Indexed: 12/19/2022] Open
Abstract
Climate change and an increasing population, present a massive global challenge with respect to environmentally sustainable nutritious food production. Crop yield enhancements, through breeding, are decreasing, whilst agricultural intensification is constrained by emerging, re-emerging, and endemic pests and pathogens, accounting for ~30% of global crop losses, as well as mounting abiotic stress pressures, due to climate change. Metabolomics approaches have previously contributed to our knowledge within the fields of molecular plant pathology and plant-insect interactions. However, these remain incredibly challenging targets, due to the vast diversity in metabolite volatility and polarity, heterogeneous mixtures of pathogen and plant cells, as well as rapid rates of metabolite turn-over. Unravelling the systematic biochemical responses of plants to various individual and combined stresses, involves monitoring signaling compounds, secondary messengers, phytohormones, and defensive and protective chemicals. This demands both targeted and untargeted metabolomics approaches, as well as a range of enzymatic assays, protein assays, and proteomic and transcriptomic technologies. In this review, we focus upon the technical and biological challenges of measuring the metabolome associated with plant stress. We illustrate the challenges, with relevant examples from bacterial and fungal molecular pathologies, plant-insect interactions, and abiotic and combined stress in the environment. We also discuss future prospects from both the perspective of key innovative metabolomic technologies and their deployment in breeding for stress resistance.
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Affiliation(s)
- James William Allwood
- Environmental and Biochemical Sciences, James Hutton Institute, Errol Road, Invergowrie, Dundee DD2 5DA, UK
| | - Alex Williams
- School of Earth and Environmental Sciences, The University of Manchester, Oxford Road, Manchester M13 9PT, UK;
- Department of Animal and Plant Sciences, Biosciences, The University of Sheffield Western Bank, Sheffield S10 2TN, UK
| | - Henriette Uthe
- German Centre for Integrative Biodiversity Research (iDiv) Halle-Jena-Leipzig, Molecular Interaction Ecology Group, Friedrich-Schiller University Jena, Puschstr. 4, 04103 Leipzig, Germany; (H.U.); (N.M.v.D.)
| | - Nicole M. van Dam
- German Centre for Integrative Biodiversity Research (iDiv) Halle-Jena-Leipzig, Molecular Interaction Ecology Group, Friedrich-Schiller University Jena, Puschstr. 4, 04103 Leipzig, Germany; (H.U.); (N.M.v.D.)
| | - Luis A. J. Mur
- Institute of Biological, Environmental and Rural Sciences (IBERS), Edward Llwyd Building, Aberystwyth University, Aberystwyth SY23 3DA, UK;
| | - Murray R. Grant
- Gibbet Hill Campus, School of Life Sciences, The University of Warwick, Coventry CV4 7AL, UK;
| | - Pierre Pétriacq
- UMR 1332 Fruit Biology and Pathology, Centre INRAE de Nouvelle Aquitaine Bordeaux, University of Bordeaux, 33140 Villenave d’Ornon, France
- Bordeaux Metabolome, MetaboHUB, PHENOME-EMPHASIS, Centre INRAE de Nouvelle Aquitaine-Bordeaux, 33140 Villenave d’Ornon, France
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11
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Mazumdar P, Singh P, Kethiravan D, Ramathani I, Ramakrishnan N. Late blight in tomato: insights into the pathogenesis of the aggressive pathogen Phytophthora infestans and future research priorities. PLANTA 2021; 253:119. [PMID: 33963935 DOI: 10.1007/s00425-021-03636-x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/27/2021] [Accepted: 05/01/2021] [Indexed: 06/12/2023]
Abstract
This review provides insights into the molecular interactions between Phytophthora infestans and tomato and highlights research gaps that need further attention. Late blight in tomato is caused by the oomycota hemibiotroph Phytophthora infestans, and this disease represents a global threat to tomato farming. The pathogen is cumbersome to control because of its fast-evolving nature, ability to overcome host resistance and inefficient natural resistance obtained from the available tomato germplasm. To achieve successful control over this pathogen, the molecular pathogenicity of P. infestans and key points of vulnerability in the host plant immune system must be understood. This review primarily focuses on efforts to better understand the molecular interaction between host pathogens from both perspectives, as well as the resistance genes, metabolomic changes, quantitative trait loci with potential for improvement in disease resistance and host genome manipulation via transgenic approaches, and it further identifies research gaps and provides suggestions for future research priorities.
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Affiliation(s)
- Purabi Mazumdar
- Centre for Research in Biotechnology for Agriculture, University of Malaya, 50603, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia.
| | - Pooja Singh
- Centre for Research in Biotechnology for Agriculture, University of Malaya, 50603, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia
| | - Dharane Kethiravan
- Centre for Research in Biotechnology for Agriculture, University of Malaya, 50603, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia
| | - Idd Ramathani
- National Crops Resources Research Institute, Gayaza Road Namulonge, 7084, Kampala, Uganda
| | - N Ramakrishnan
- ECSE, School of Engineering, Monash University Malaysia, 47500, Bandar Sunway, Malaysia
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12
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Environment-coupled models of leaf metabolism. Biochem Soc Trans 2021; 49:119-129. [PMID: 33492365 PMCID: PMC7925006 DOI: 10.1042/bst20200059] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/12/2020] [Revised: 11/30/2020] [Accepted: 12/17/2020] [Indexed: 12/15/2022]
Abstract
The plant leaf is the main site of photosynthesis. This process converts light energy and inorganic nutrients into chemical energy and organic building blocks for the biosynthesis and maintenance of cellular components and to support the growth of the rest of the plant. The leaf is also the site of gas–water exchange and due to its large surface, it is particularly vulnerable to pathogen attacks. Therefore, the leaf's performance and metabolic modes are inherently determined by its interaction with the environment. Mathematical models of plant metabolism have been successfully applied to study various aspects of photosynthesis, carbon and nitrogen assimilation and metabolism, aided suggesting metabolic intervention strategies for optimized leaf performance, and gave us insights into evolutionary drivers of plant metabolism in various environments. With the increasing pressure to improve agricultural performance in current and future climates, these models have become important tools to improve our understanding of plant–environment interactions and to propel plant breeders efforts. This overview article reviews applications of large-scale metabolic models of leaf metabolism to study plant–environment interactions by means of flux-balance analysis. The presented studies are organized in two ways — by the way the environment interactions are modelled — via external constraints or data-integration and by the studied environmental interactions — abiotic or biotic.
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13
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Musungu B, Bhatnagar D, Quiniou S, Brown RL, Payne GA, O’Brian G, Fakhoury AM, Geisler M. Use of Dual RNA-seq for Systems Biology Analysis of Zea mays and Aspergillus flavus Interaction. Front Microbiol 2020; 11:853. [PMID: 32582038 PMCID: PMC7285840 DOI: 10.3389/fmicb.2020.00853] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/11/2019] [Accepted: 04/09/2020] [Indexed: 11/18/2022] Open
Abstract
The interaction between Aspergillus flavus and Zea mays is complex, and the identification of plant genes and pathways conferring resistance to the fungus has been challenging. Therefore, the authors undertook a systems biology approach involving dual RNA-seq to determine the simultaneous response from the host and the pathogen. What was dramatically highlighted in the analysis is the uniformity in the development patterns of gene expression of the host and the pathogen during infection. This led to the development of a "stage of infection index" that was subsequently used to categorize the samples before down-stream system biology analysis. Additionally, we were able to ascertain that key maize genes in pathways such as the jasmonate, ethylene and ROS pathways, were up-regulated in the study. The stage of infection index used for the transcriptomic analysis revealed that A. flavus produces a relatively limited number of transcripts during the early stages (0 to 12 h) of infection. At later stages, in A. flavus, transcripts and pathways involved in endosomal transport, aflatoxin production, and carbohydrate metabolism were up-regulated. Multiple WRKY genes targeting the activation of the resistance pathways (i.e., jasmonate, phenylpropanoid, and ethylene) were detected using causal inference analysis. This analysis also revealed, for the first time, the activation of Z. mays resistance genes influencing the expression of specific A. flavus genes. Our results show that A. flavus seems to be reacting to a hostile environment resulting from the activation of resistance pathways in Z. mays. This study revealed the dynamic nature of the interaction between the two organisms.
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Affiliation(s)
- Bryan Musungu
- Department of Plant Biology, Southern Illinois University, Carbondale, IL, United States
| | - Deepak Bhatnagar
- Southern Regional Research Center, USDA-ARS, New Orleans, LA, United States
| | - Sylvie Quiniou
- Warm Water Aquaculture Research Unit, USDA-ARS, Stoneville, MS, United States
| | - Robert L. Brown
- Southern Regional Research Center, USDA-ARS, New Orleans, LA, United States
| | - Gary A. Payne
- Department of Plant Pathology, North Carolina State University, Raleigh, NC, United States
| | - Greg O’Brian
- Department of Plant Pathology, North Carolina State University, Raleigh, NC, United States
| | - Ahmad M. Fakhoury
- Department of Plant Soil and Agriculture Systems, Southern Illinois University, Carbondale, IL, United States
| | - Matt Geisler
- Department of Plant Biology, Southern Illinois University, Carbondale, IL, United States
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14
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Thines M, Sharma R, Rodenburg SYA, Gogleva A, Judelson HS, Xia X, van den Hoogen J, Kitner M, Klein J, Neilen M, de Ridder D, Seidl MF, van den Ackerveken G, Govers F, Schornack S, Studholme DJ. The Genome of Peronospora belbahrii Reveals High Heterozygosity, a Low Number of Canonical Effectors, and TC-Rich Promoters. MOLECULAR PLANT-MICROBE INTERACTIONS : MPMI 2020; 33:742-753. [PMID: 32237964 DOI: 10.1094/mpmi-07-19-0211-r] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/11/2023]
Abstract
Along with Plasmopara destructor, Peronosopora belbahrii has arguably been the economically most important newly emerging downy mildew pathogen of the past two decades. Originating from Africa, it has started devastating basil production throughout the world, most likely due to the distribution of infested seed material. Here, we present the genome of this pathogen and results from comparisons of its genomic features to other oomycetes. The assembly of the nuclear genome was around 35.4 Mbp in length, with an N50 scaffold length of around 248 kbp and an L50 scaffold count of 46. The circular mitochondrial genome consisted of around 40.1 kbp. From the repeat-masked genome, 9,049 protein-coding genes were predicted, out of which 335 were predicted to have extracellular functions, representing the smallest secretome so far found in peronosporalean oomycetes. About 16% of the genome consists of repetitive sequences, and, based on simple sequence repeat regions, we provide a set of microsatellites that could be used for population genetic studies of P. belbahrii. P. belbahrii has undergone a high degree of convergent evolution with other obligate parasitic pathogen groups, reflecting its obligate biotrophic lifestyle. Features of its secretome, signaling networks, and promoters are presented, and some patterns are hypothesized to reflect the high degree of host specificity in Peronospora species. In addition, we suggest the presence of additional virulence factors apart from classical effector classes that are promising candidates for future functional studies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Marco Thines
- Institute of Ecology, Evolution and Diversity, Goethe University, Max-von-Laue-Str. 9, 60323 Frankfurt (Main), Germany
- Senckenberg Gesellschaft für Naturforschung, Senckenberganlage 25, 60325 Frankfurt (Main), Germany
- Integrative Fungal Research (IPF) and Translational Biodiversity Genomics (TBG), Georg-Voigt-Str. 14-16, 60325 Frankfurt (Main), Germany
| | - Rahul Sharma
- Institute of Ecology, Evolution and Diversity, Goethe University, Max-von-Laue-Str. 9, 60323 Frankfurt (Main), Germany
- Senckenberg Gesellschaft für Naturforschung, Senckenberganlage 25, 60325 Frankfurt (Main), Germany
- Integrative Fungal Research (IPF) and Translational Biodiversity Genomics (TBG), Georg-Voigt-Str. 14-16, 60325 Frankfurt (Main), Germany
| | - Sander Y A Rodenburg
- Laboratory of Phytopathology, Wageningen University, Droevendaalsesteeg 1, 6708 PB Wageningen, The Netherlands
- Bioinformatics Group, Wageningen University, Droevendaalsesteeg 1, 6708 PB Wageningen, The Netherlands
| | - Anna Gogleva
- University of Cambridge, Sainsbury Laboratory, 47 Bateman Street, Cambridge, CB2 1LR, U.K
| | - Howard S Judelson
- Department of Microbiology and Plant Pathology, University of California, Riverside, CA 92521 U.S.A
| | - Xiaojuan Xia
- Institute of Ecology, Evolution and Diversity, Goethe University, Max-von-Laue-Str. 9, 60323 Frankfurt (Main), Germany
- Senckenberg Gesellschaft für Naturforschung, Senckenberganlage 25, 60325 Frankfurt (Main), Germany
| | - Johan van den Hoogen
- Laboratory of Phytopathology, Wageningen University, Droevendaalsesteeg 1, 6708 PB Wageningen, The Netherlands
| | - Miloslav Kitner
- Department of Botany, Faculty of Science, Palacký University Olomouc, Šlechtitelů 27, 78371 Olomouc, Czech Republic
| | - Joël Klein
- Plant-Microbe Interactions, Department of Biology, Utrecht University, Padualaan 8, 3584 CH Utrecht, The Netherlands
| | - Manon Neilen
- Plant-Microbe Interactions, Department of Biology, Utrecht University, Padualaan 8, 3584 CH Utrecht, The Netherlands
| | - Dick de Ridder
- Bioinformatics Group, Wageningen University, Droevendaalsesteeg 1, 6708 PB Wageningen, The Netherlands
| | - Michael F Seidl
- Laboratory of Phytopathology, Wageningen University, Droevendaalsesteeg 1, 6708 PB Wageningen, The Netherlands
| | - Guido van den Ackerveken
- Plant-Microbe Interactions, Department of Biology, Utrecht University, Padualaan 8, 3584 CH Utrecht, The Netherlands
| | - Francine Govers
- Laboratory of Phytopathology, Wageningen University, Droevendaalsesteeg 1, 6708 PB Wageningen, The Netherlands
| | - Sebastian Schornack
- University of Cambridge, Sainsbury Laboratory, 47 Bateman Street, Cambridge, CB2 1LR, U.K
| | - David J Studholme
- Biosciences, College of Life and Environmental Sciences, University of Exeter, Stocker Road, Exeter EX4 4QD, U.K
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15
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Rodenburg SYA, Seidl MF, Judelson HS, Vu AL, Govers F, de Ridder D. Metabolic Model of the Phytophthora infestans-Tomato Interaction Reveals Metabolic Switches during Host Colonization. mBio 2019; 10:e00454-19. [PMID: 31289172 PMCID: PMC6747730 DOI: 10.1128/mbio.00454-19] [Citation(s) in RCA: 20] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/18/2019] [Accepted: 06/03/2019] [Indexed: 01/01/2023] Open
Abstract
The oomycete pathogen Phytophthora infestans causes potato and tomato late blight, a disease that is a serious threat to agriculture. P. infestans is a hemibiotrophic pathogen, and during infection, it scavenges nutrients from living host cells for its own proliferation. To date, the nutrient flux from host to pathogen during infection has hardly been studied, and the interlinked metabolisms of the pathogen and host remain poorly understood. Here, we reconstructed an integrated metabolic model of P. infestans and tomato (Solanum lycopersicum) by integrating two previously published models for both species. We used this integrated model to simulate metabolic fluxes from host to pathogen and explored the topology of the model to study the dependencies of the metabolism of P. infestans on that of tomato. This showed, for example, that P. infestans, a thiamine auxotroph, depends on certain metabolic reactions of the tomato thiamine biosynthesis. We also exploited dual-transcriptome data of a time course of a full late blight infection cycle on tomato leaves and integrated the expression of metabolic enzymes in the model. This revealed profound changes in pathogen-host metabolism during infection. As infection progresses, P. infestans performs less de novo synthesis of metabolites and scavenges more metabolites from tomato. This integrated metabolic model for the P. infestans-tomato interaction provides a framework to integrate data and generate hypotheses about in planta nutrition of P. infestans throughout its infection cycle.IMPORTANCE Late blight disease caused by the oomycete pathogen Phytophthora infestans leads to extensive yield losses in tomato and potato cultivation worldwide. To effectively control this pathogen, a thorough understanding of the mechanisms shaping the interaction with its hosts is paramount. While considerable work has focused on exploring host defense mechanisms and identifying P. infestans proteins contributing to virulence and pathogenicity, the nutritional strategies of the pathogen are mostly unresolved. Genome-scale metabolic models (GEMs) can be used to simulate metabolic fluxes and help in unravelling the complex nature of metabolism. We integrated a GEM of tomato with a GEM of P. infestans to simulate the metabolic fluxes that occur during infection. This yields insights into the nutrients that P. infestans obtains during different phases of the infection cycle and helps in generating hypotheses about nutrition in planta.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sander Y A Rodenburg
- Laboratory of Phytopathology, Wageningen University, Wageningen, the Netherlands
- Bioinformatics Group, Wageningen University, Wageningen, the Netherlands
| | - Michael F Seidl
- Laboratory of Phytopathology, Wageningen University, Wageningen, the Netherlands
| | - Howard S Judelson
- Department of Microbiology and Plant Pathology, University of California Riverside, Riverside, California, USA
| | - Andrea L Vu
- Department of Microbiology and Plant Pathology, University of California Riverside, Riverside, California, USA
| | - Francine Govers
- Laboratory of Phytopathology, Wageningen University, Wageningen, the Netherlands
| | - Dick de Ridder
- Bioinformatics Group, Wageningen University, Wageningen, the Netherlands
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16
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Garavito MF, Narvaez-Ortiz HY, Pulido DC, Löffler M, Judelson HS, Restrepo S, Zimmermann BH. Phytophthora infestans Dihydroorotate Dehydrogenase Is a Potential Target for Chemical Control - A Comparison With the Enzyme From Solanum tuberosum. Front Microbiol 2019; 10:1479. [PMID: 31316493 PMCID: PMC6611227 DOI: 10.3389/fmicb.2019.01479] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/05/2019] [Accepted: 06/13/2019] [Indexed: 01/04/2023] Open
Abstract
The oomycete Phytophthora infestans is the causal agent of tomato and potato late blight, a disease that causes tremendous economic losses in the production of solanaceous crops. The similarities between oomycetes and the apicomplexa led us to hypothesize that dihydroorotate dehydrogenase (DHODH), the enzyme catalyzing the fourth step in pyrimidine biosynthetic pathway, and a validated drug target in treatment of malaria, could be a potential target for controlling P. infestans growth. In eukaryotes, class 2 DHODHs are mitochondrially associated ubiquinone-linked enzymes that catalyze the fourth, and only redox step of de novo pyrimidine biosynthesis. We characterized the enzymes from both the pathogen and a host, Solanum tuberosum. Plant DHODHs are known to be class 2 enzymes. Sequence analysis suggested that the pathogen enzyme (PiDHODHs) also belongs to this class. We confirmed the mitochondrial localization of GFP-PiDHODH showing colocalization with mCherry-labeled ATPase in a transgenic pathogen. N-terminally truncated versions of the two DHODHs were overproduced in E. coli, purified, and kinetically characterized. StDHODH exhibited a apparent specific activity of 41 ± 1 μmol min-1 mg-1, a kcatapp of 30 ± 1 s-1, and a Kmapp of 20 ± 1 μM for L-dihydroorotate, and a Kmapp= 30 ± 3 μM for decylubiquinone (Qd). PiDHODH exhibited an apparent specific activity of 104 ± 1 μmol min-1 mg-1, a kcatapp of 75 ± 1 s-1, and a Kmapp of 57 ± 3 μM for L-dihydroorotate, and a Kmapp of 15 ± 1 μM for Qd. The two enzymes exhibited different activities with different quinones and napthoquinone derivatives, and different sensitivities to compounds known to cause inhibition of DHODHs from other organisms. The IC50 for A77 1726, a nanomolar inhibitor of human DHODH, was 2.9 ± 0.6 mM for StDHODH, and 79 ± 1 μM for PiDHODH. In vivo, 0.5 mM A77 1726 decreased mycelial growth by approximately 50%, after 92 h. Collectively, our findings suggest that the PiDHODH could be a target for selective inhibitors and we provide a biochemical background for the development of compounds that could be helpful for the control of the pathogen, opening the way to protein crystallization.
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Affiliation(s)
- Manuel F Garavito
- Departamento de Ciencias Biológicas, Universidad de los Andes, Bogotá, Colombia.,Laboratorio de Micología y Fitopatología, Universidad de los Andes, Bogotá, Colombia
| | | | - Dania Camila Pulido
- Departamento de Ciencias Biológicas, Universidad de los Andes, Bogotá, Colombia
| | - Monika Löffler
- Faculty of Medicine, Department of Biology, University of Marburg, Marburg, Germany
| | - Howard S Judelson
- Department of Microbiology and Plant Pathology, University of California, Riverside, Riverside, CA, United States
| | - Silvia Restrepo
- Laboratorio de Micología y Fitopatología, Universidad de los Andes, Bogotá, Colombia
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17
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Rodriguez PA, Rothballer M, Chowdhury SP, Nussbaumer T, Gutjahr C, Falter-Braun P. Systems Biology of Plant-Microbiome Interactions. MOLECULAR PLANT 2019; 12:804-821. [PMID: 31128275 DOI: 10.1016/j.molp.2019.05.006] [Citation(s) in RCA: 192] [Impact Index Per Article: 38.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/21/2018] [Revised: 05/07/2019] [Accepted: 05/15/2019] [Indexed: 05/02/2023]
Abstract
In natural environments, plants are exposed to diverse microbiota that they interact with in complex ways. While plant-pathogen interactions have been intensely studied to understand defense mechanisms in plants, many microbes and microbial communities can have substantial beneficial effects on their plant host. Such beneficial effects include improved acquisition of nutrients, accelerated growth, resilience against pathogens, and improved resistance against abiotic stress conditions such as heat, drought, and salinity. However, the beneficial effects of bacterial strains or consortia on their host are often cultivar and species specific, posing an obstacle to their general application. Remarkably, many of the signals that trigger plant immune responses are molecularly highly similar and often identical in pathogenic and beneficial microbes. Thus, it is unclear what determines the outcome of a particular microbe-host interaction and which factors enable plants to distinguish beneficials from pathogens. To unravel the complex network of genetic, microbial, and metabolic interactions, including the signaling events mediating microbe-host interactions, comprehensive quantitative systems biology approaches will be needed.
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Affiliation(s)
- Patricia A Rodriguez
- Institute of Network Biology (INET), Helmholtz Zentrum München, German Research Center for Environmental Health, Munich, Germany
| | - Michael Rothballer
- Institute of Network Biology (INET), Helmholtz Zentrum München, German Research Center for Environmental Health, Munich, Germany
| | - Soumitra Paul Chowdhury
- Institute of Network Biology (INET), Helmholtz Zentrum München, German Research Center for Environmental Health, Munich, Germany
| | - Thomas Nussbaumer
- Institute of Network Biology (INET), Helmholtz Zentrum München, German Research Center for Environmental Health, Munich, Germany; Institute of Environmental Medicine (IEM), UNIKA-T, Technical University of Munich, Augsburg, Germany
| | - Caroline Gutjahr
- Plant Genetics, TUM School of Life Science Weihenstephan, Technical University of Munich (TUM), Freising, Germany
| | - Pascal Falter-Braun
- Institute of Network Biology (INET), Helmholtz Zentrum München, German Research Center for Environmental Health, Munich, Germany; Microbe-Host Interactions, Faculty of Biology, Ludwig-Maximilians-Universität (LMU) München, Munich, Germany.
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18
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Niche-specific metabolic adaptation in biotrophic and necrotrophic oomycetes is manifested in differential use of nutrients, variation in gene content, and enzyme evolution. PLoS Pathog 2019; 15:e1007729. [PMID: 31002734 PMCID: PMC6493774 DOI: 10.1371/journal.ppat.1007729] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/04/2018] [Revised: 05/01/2019] [Accepted: 03/25/2019] [Indexed: 12/12/2022] Open
Abstract
The use of host nutrients to support pathogen growth is central to disease. We addressed the relationship between metabolism and trophic behavior by comparing metabolic gene expression during potato tuber colonization by two oomycetes, the hemibiotroph Phytophthora infestans and the necrotroph Pythium ultimum. Genes for several pathways including amino acid, nucleotide, and cofactor biosynthesis were expressed more by Ph. infestans during its biotrophic stage compared to Py. ultimum. In contrast, Py. ultimum had higher expression of genes for metabolizing compounds that are normally sequestered within plant cells but released to the pathogen upon plant cell lysis, such as starch and triacylglycerides. The transcription pattern of metabolic genes in Ph. infestans during late infection became more like that of Py. ultimum, consistent with the former's transition to necrotrophy. Interspecific variation in metabolic gene content was limited but included the presence of γ-amylase only in Py. ultimum. The pathogens were also found to employ strikingly distinct strategies for using nitrate. Measurements of mRNA, 15N labeling studies, enzyme assays, and immunoblotting indicated that the assimilation pathway in Ph. infestans was nitrate-insensitive but induced during amino acid and ammonium starvation. In contrast, the pathway was nitrate-induced but not amino acid-repressed in Py. ultimum. The lack of amino acid repression in Py. ultimum appears due to the absence of a transcription factor common to fungi and Phytophthora that acts as a nitrogen metabolite repressor. Evidence for functional diversification in nitrate reductase protein was also observed. Its temperature optimum was adapted to each organism's growth range, and its Km was much lower in Py. ultimum. In summary, we observed divergence in patterns of gene expression, gene content, and enzyme function which contribute to the fitness of each species in its niche. A key feature of disease is the pathogen's consumption of host metabolites to support its growth and multiplication. Understanding how host nutrients are used by pathogens may lead to strategies for limiting disease, for example by developing inhibitors of metabolic pathways needed for pathogen growth. Feeding strategies of plant pathogens range between two extremes: necrotrophs kill host cells and consume the released nutrients, while biotrophs do not injure host cells but instead acquire nutrients from extracellular spaces in the plant. In this study, a comparison was made between the metabolism of Phytophthora infestans (the infamous Irish Famine pathogen) and Pythium ultimum during potato tuber colonization. These microbes have close evolutionary histories, but while Py. ultimum is a necrotroph, Ph. infestans is a biotroph for most of the disease cycle. It was discovered that distinct patterns of metabolic gene expression, gene content, and enzyme behavior underlie these lifestyles. For example, genes for utilizing compounds that are normally stored within plant cells were expressed more by Py. ultimum, while Ph. infestans appeared to synthesize more biosubstances from precursors. Several differences in carbon and nitrogen metabolism were linked to variation in enzyme content and gene expression regulators in the two species.
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19
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Judelson HS, Ah-Fong AMV. Exchanges at the Plant-Oomycete Interface That Influence Disease. PLANT PHYSIOLOGY 2019; 179:1198-1211. [PMID: 30538168 PMCID: PMC6446794 DOI: 10.1104/pp.18.00979] [Citation(s) in RCA: 34] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/07/2018] [Accepted: 11/19/2018] [Indexed: 05/20/2023]
Abstract
Molecular exchanges between plants and biotrophic, hemibiotrophic, and necrotrophic oomycetes affect disease progression.
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Affiliation(s)
- Howard S Judelson
- Department of Microbiology and Plant Pathology, University of California, Riverside, California 92521
| | - Audrey M V Ah-Fong
- Department of Microbiology and Plant Pathology, University of California, Riverside, California 92521
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20
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Abstract
Cooperation is associated with major transitions in evolution such as the emergence of multicellularity. It is central to the evolution of many complex traits in nature, including growth and virulence in pathogenic bacteria. Whether cells of multicellular parasites function cooperatively during infection remains, however, largely unknown. Here, we show that hyphal cells of the fungal pathogen Sclerotinia sclerotiorum reprogram toward division of labor to facilitate the colonization of host plants. Using global transcriptome sequencing, we reveal that gene expression patterns diverge markedly in cells at the center and apex of hyphae during Arabidopsis thaliana colonization compared with in vitro growth. We reconstructed a genome-scale metabolic model for S. sclerotiorum and used flux balance analysis to demonstrate metabolic heterogeneity supporting division of labor between hyphal cells. Accordingly, continuity between the central and apical compartments of invasive hyphae was required for optimal growth in planta Using a multicell model of fungal hyphae, we show that this cooperative functioning enhances fungal growth predominantly during host colonization. Our work identifies cooperation in fungal hyphae as a mechanism emerging at the multicellular level to support host colonization and virulence.
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21
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Botero D, Valdés I, Rodríguez MJ, Henao D, Danies G, González AF, Restrepo S. A Genome-Scale Metabolic Reconstruction of Phytophthora infestans With the Integration of Transcriptional Data Reveals the Key Metabolic Patterns Involved in the Interaction of Its Host. Front Genet 2018; 9:244. [PMID: 30042788 PMCID: PMC6048221 DOI: 10.3389/fgene.2018.00244] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/27/2018] [Accepted: 06/21/2018] [Indexed: 11/30/2022] Open
Abstract
Phytophthora infestans, the causal agent of late blight disease, affects potatoes and tomatoes worldwide. This plant pathogen has a hemibiotrophic lifestyle, having an initial biotrophic infection phase during which the pathogen spreads within the host tissue, followed by a necrotrophic phase in which host cell death is induced. Although increasing information is available on the molecular mechanisms, underlying the distinct phases of the hemibiotrophic lifestyle, studies that consider the entire metabolic processes in the pathogen while undergoing the biotrophic, transition to necrotrophic, and necrotrophic phases have not been conducted. In this study, the genome-scale metabolic reconstruction of P. infestans was achieved. Subsequently, transcriptional data (microarrays, RNA-seq) was integrated into the metabolic reconstruction to obtain context-specific (metabolic) models (CSMs) of the infection process, using constraint-based reconstruction and analysis. The goal was to identify specific metabolic markers for distinct stages of the pathogen's life cycle. Results indicate that the overall metabolism show significant changes during infection. The most significant changes in metabolism were observed at the latest time points of infection. Metabolic activity associated with purine, pyrimidine, fatty acid, fructose and mannose, arginine, glycine, serine, and threonine amino acids appeared to be the most important metabolisms of the pathogen during the course of the infection, showing high number of reactions associated with them and expression switches at important stages of the life cycle. This study provides a framework for future throughput studies of the metabolic changes during the hemibiotrophic life cycle of this important plant pathogen.
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Affiliation(s)
- David Botero
- Laboratory of Mycology and Phytopathology (LAMFU), Department of Biological Sciences, Universidad de los Andes, Bogotá, Colombia
| | - Iván Valdés
- Laboratory of Mycology and Phytopathology (LAMFU), Department of Biological Sciences, Universidad de los Andes, Bogotá, Colombia
| | - María-Juliana Rodríguez
- Laboratory of Mycology and Phytopathology (LAMFU), Department of Biological Sciences, Universidad de los Andes, Bogotá, Colombia
| | - Diana Henao
- Laboratory of Mycology and Phytopathology (LAMFU), Department of Biological Sciences, Universidad de los Andes, Bogotá, Colombia
| | - Giovanna Danies
- Department of Design, Universidad de los Andes, Bogotá, Colombia
| | - Andrés F González
- Group of Product and Process Design, Department of Chemical Engineering, Universidad de Los Andes, Bogotá, Colombia
| | - Silvia Restrepo
- Laboratory of Mycology and Phytopathology (LAMFU), Department of Biological Sciences, Universidad de los Andes, Bogotá, Colombia
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