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Roussin-Léveillée C, Rossi CAM, Castroverde CDM, Moffett P. The plant disease triangle facing climate change: a molecular perspective. Trends Plant Sci 2024:S1360-1385(24)00060-8. [PMID: 38580544 DOI: 10.1016/j.tplants.2024.03.004] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/26/2023] [Revised: 02/27/2024] [Accepted: 03/06/2024] [Indexed: 04/07/2024]
Abstract
Variations in climate conditions can dramatically affect plant health and the generation of climate-resilient crops is imperative to food security. In addition to directly affecting plants, it is predicted that more severe climate conditions will also result in greater biotic stresses. Recent studies have identified climate-sensitive molecular pathways that can result in plants being more susceptible to infection under unfavorable conditions. Here, we review how expected changes in climate will impact plant-pathogen interactions, with a focus on mechanisms regulating plant immunity and microbial virulence strategies. We highlight the complex interactions between abiotic and biotic stresses with the goal of identifying components and/or pathways that are promising targets for genetic engineering to enhance adaptation and strengthen resilience in dynamically changing environments.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Christina A M Rossi
- Department of Biology, Wilfrid Laurier University, Waterloo, Ontario, N2L 3C5, Canada
| | | | - Peter Moffett
- Centre SÈVE, Département de Biologie, Université de Sherbrooke, Sherbrooke, Québec, Canada.
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2
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Roussin-Léveillée C, Mackey D, Ekanayake G, Gohmann R, Moffett P. Extracellular niche establishment by plant pathogens. Nat Rev Microbiol 2024:10.1038/s41579-023-00999-8. [PMID: 38191847 DOI: 10.1038/s41579-023-00999-8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 11/21/2023] [Indexed: 01/10/2024]
Abstract
The plant extracellular space, referred to as the apoplast, is inhabited by a variety of microorganisms. Reflecting the crucial nature of this compartment, both plants and microorganisms seek to control, exploit and respond to its composition. Upon sensing the apoplastic environment, pathogens activate virulence programmes, including the delivery of effectors with well-established roles in suppressing plant immunity. We posit that another key and foundational role of effectors is niche establishment - specifically, the manipulation of plant physiological processes to enrich the apoplast in water and nutritive metabolites. Facets of plant immunity counteract niche establishment by restricting water, nutrients and signals for virulence activation. The complex competition to control and, in the case of pathogens, exploit the apoplast provides remarkable insights into the nature of virulence, host susceptibility, host defence and, ultimately, the origin of phytopathogenesis. This novel framework focuses on the ecology of a microbial niche and highlights areas of future research on plant-microorganism interactions.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - David Mackey
- Department of Horticulture and Crop Science, The Ohio State University, Columbus, OH, USA.
- Department of Molecular Genetics, The Ohio State University, Columbus, OH, USA.
- Center for Applied Plant Sciences, The Ohio State University, Columbus, OH, USA.
| | - Gayani Ekanayake
- Department of Horticulture and Crop Science, The Ohio State University, Columbus, OH, USA
| | - Reid Gohmann
- Department of Horticulture and Crop Science, The Ohio State University, Columbus, OH, USA
| | - Peter Moffett
- Centre SÈVE, Département de Biologie, Université de Sherbrooke, Sherbrooke, Québec, Canada.
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Lerat S, Roussin-Léveillée C, Sidibé A, Moffett P, Beaulieu C. Evidence of the Involvement of Nematostoma parasiticum in Herpotrichia Needle Browning of Abies balsamea. Plant Dis 2023; 107:2935-2938. [PMID: 37142965 DOI: 10.1094/pdis-01-23-0075-sc] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/06/2023]
Abstract
Herpotrichia needle browning (HNB) is a disease that affects several species of fir trees in Europe and North America. HNB was first described by Hartig in 1884, who isolated a fungal pathogenic agent identified as responsible for the disease. This fungus was later named Herpotrichia parasitica but is currently named Nematostoma parasiticum. However, the identity of the pathogens causing HNB is regularly questioned and, to date, the true causal agent of this disease has not been definitely established. The present study aimed to identify the fungal populations present in needles of Christmas fir trees (Abies balsamea) and to correlate them with needle health status using robust molecular methods. PCR primers specific to N. parasiticum allowed detection of the presence of this fungus in DNA samples from symptomatic needles. Furthermore, high-throughput sequencing (Illumina MiSeq) clearly showed that N. parasiticum was associated with symptomatic needles. However, high-throughput sequencing results revealed that the presence of other species such as Sydowia polyspora and Rhizoctonia sp. may also correlate with the development of HNB. A diagnostic tool, based on quantitative PCR using a probe, was then developed to detect and quantify N. parasiticum in DNA samples. The efficacy of this molecular approach was validated through the detection of the pathogenic agent in symptomatic needle samples as well as in nonsymptomatic needles collected in trees affected by HNB. In contrast, N. parasiticum could not be found in needles from healthy trees. The present study argues for the importance of N. parasiticum in causing HNB symptoms.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sylvain Lerat
- Centre SÈVE, Département de Biologie, Université de Sherbrooke, Sherbrooke, QC J1K 2R1, Canada
| | | | - Amadou Sidibé
- Centre SÈVE, Département de Biologie, Université de Sherbrooke, Sherbrooke, QC J1K 2R1, Canada
| | - Peter Moffett
- Centre SÈVE, Département de Biologie, Université de Sherbrooke, Sherbrooke, QC J1K 2R1, Canada
| | - Carole Beaulieu
- Centre SÈVE, Département de Biologie, Université de Sherbrooke, Sherbrooke, QC J1K 2R1, Canada
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Silva-Martins G, Roussin-Léveillée C, Bolaji A, Veerapen VP, Moffett P. A Jasmonic Acid-Related Mechanism Affects ARGONAUTE5 Expression and Antiviral Defense Against Potato Virus X in Arabidopsis thaliana. Mol Plant Microbe Interact 2023; 36:425-433. [PMID: 36853196 DOI: 10.1094/mpmi-11-22-0224-r] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/18/2023]
Abstract
During virus infection, Argonaute (AGO) proteins bind to Dicer-produced virus small interfering RNAs and target viral RNA based on sequence complementarity, thereby limiting virus proliferation. The Arabidopsis AGO2 protein is important for resistance to multiple viruses, including potato virus X (PVX). In addition, AGO5 is important in systemic defense against PVX. Normally AGO5 is expressed only in reproductive tissues, and its induction by virus infection is thought to be important for its participation in antiviral defense. However, it is unclear what mechanisms induce AGO5 expression in response to virus infection. Here, we show that dde2-2, a mutant compromised in jasmonic acid (JA) biosynthesis, displays constitutive upregulation of AGO5. This mutant also showed increased resistance to PVX and this resistance was dependent on a functional AGO5 gene. Furthermore, methyl jasmonate treatment ablated AGO5 expression in leaves during virus infection and resulted in increased susceptibility to virus. Our results further support a role for AGO5 in antiviral RNA silencing and a negative regulation by JA, a plant hormone associated with defense against plant-feeding arthropods, which are often the vectors of plant viruses. [Formula: see text] Copyright © 2023 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)
- Guilherme Silva-Martins
- Centre SÈVE, Département de Biologie, Université de Sherbrooke, Sherbrooke, Québec J1K 2R1, Canada
| | | | - Ayooluwa Bolaji
- Centre SÈVE, Département de Biologie, Université de Sherbrooke, Sherbrooke, Québec J1K 2R1, Canada
| | - Varusha Pillay Veerapen
- Centre SÈVE, Département de Biologie, Université de Sherbrooke, Sherbrooke, Québec J1K 2R1, Canada
| | - Peter Moffett
- Centre SÈVE, Département de Biologie, Université de Sherbrooke, Sherbrooke, Québec J1K 2R1, Canada
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Roussin-Léveillée C, Lajeunesse G, St-Amand M, Veerapen VP, Silva-Martins G, Nomura K, Brassard S, Bolaji A, He SY, Moffett P. Evolutionarily conserved bacterial effectors hijack abscisic acid signaling to induce an aqueous environment in the apoplast. Cell Host Microbe 2022; 30:489-501.e4. [PMID: 35247330 PMCID: PMC9012689 DOI: 10.1016/j.chom.2022.02.006] [Citation(s) in RCA: 34] [Impact Index Per Article: 17.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/29/2021] [Revised: 12/04/2021] [Accepted: 02/08/2022] [Indexed: 11/26/2022]
Abstract
High atmospheric humidity levels profoundly impact host-pathogen interactions in plants by enabling the establishment of an aqueous living space that benefits pathogens. The effectors HopM1 and AvrE1 of the bacterial pathogen Pseudomonas syringae have been shown to induce an aqueous apoplast under such conditions. However, the mechanisms by which this happens remain unknown. Here, we show that HopM1 and AvrE1 work redundantly to establish an aqueous living space by inducing a major reprogramming of the Arabidopsis thaliana transcriptome landscape. These effectors induce a strong abscisic acid (ABA) signature, which promotes stomatal closure, resulting in reduced leaf transpiration and water-soaking lesions. Furthermore, these effectors preferentially increase ABA accumulation in guard cells, which control stomatal aperture. Notably, a guard-cell-specific ABA transporter, ABCG40, is necessary for HopM1 induction of water-soaking lesions. This study provides molecular insights into a chain of events of stomatal manipulation that create an ideal microenvironment to facilitate infection.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Gaële Lajeunesse
- Centre SÈVE, Département de Biologie, Université de Sherbrooke, Sherbrooke, QC, Canada
| | - Méliane St-Amand
- Centre SÈVE, Département de Biologie, Université de Sherbrooke, Sherbrooke, QC, Canada
| | | | | | - Kinya Nomura
- Department of Energy, Plant Research Laboratory, Michigan State University, East Lansing, MI, USA; Department of Biology, Duke University, Durham, NC, USA; Howard Hughes Medical Institute, Durham, NC, USA
| | - Sandrine Brassard
- Centre SÈVE, Département de Biologie, Université de Sherbrooke, Sherbrooke, QC, Canada
| | - Ayooluwa Bolaji
- Centre SÈVE, Département de Biologie, Université de Sherbrooke, Sherbrooke, QC, Canada
| | - Sheng Yang He
- Department of Energy, Plant Research Laboratory, Michigan State University, East Lansing, MI, USA; Department of Biology, Duke University, Durham, NC, USA; Howard Hughes Medical Institute, Durham, NC, USA
| | - Peter Moffett
- Centre SÈVE, Département de Biologie, Université de Sherbrooke, Sherbrooke, QC, Canada.
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Brosseau C, Bolaji A, Roussin-Léveillée C, Zhao Z, Biga S, Moffett P. Natural variation in the Arabidopsis AGO2 gene is associated with susceptibility to potato virus X. New Phytol 2020; 226:866-878. [PMID: 31880814 DOI: 10.1111/nph.16397] [Citation(s) in RCA: 18] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/17/2019] [Accepted: 12/12/2019] [Indexed: 06/10/2023]
Abstract
RNA silencing functions as an anti-viral defence in plants through the action of DICER-like (DCL) and ARGONAUTE (AGO) proteins. Despite the importance of this mechanism, little is known about the functional consequences of variation in genes encoding RNA silencing components. The AGO2 protein has been shown to be important for defense against multiple viruses, and we investigated how naturally occurring differences in AGO2 between and within species affects its antiviral activities. We find that the AGO2 protein from Arabidopsis thaliana, but not Nicotiana benthamiana, effectively limits potato virus X (PVX). Consistent with this, we find that the A. thaliana AGO2 gene shows a high incidence of polymorphisms between accessions, with evidence of selective pressure. Using functional analyses, we identify polymorphisms that specifically affect AGO2 antiviral activity, without interfering with other AGO2-associated functions such as anti-bacterial resistance or DNA methylation. Our results suggest that viruses adapt to overcome RNA silencing in their hosts. Furthermore, they indicate that plant-virus interactions have influenced natural variation in RNA-silencing components and that the latter may be a source of genetically encoded virus resistance.
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Affiliation(s)
- Chantal Brosseau
- Département de Biologie, Centre SÈVE, Université de Sherbrooke, Sherbrooke, QC, J1K 2R1, Canada
| | - Ayooluwa Bolaji
- Département de Biologie, Centre SÈVE, Université de Sherbrooke, Sherbrooke, QC, J1K 2R1, Canada
| | | | - Zhenxing Zhao
- Département de Biologie, Centre SÈVE, Université de Sherbrooke, Sherbrooke, QC, J1K 2R1, Canada
| | - Sébastien Biga
- Département de Biologie, Centre SÈVE, Université de Sherbrooke, Sherbrooke, QC, J1K 2R1, Canada
| | - Peter Moffett
- Département de Biologie, Centre SÈVE, Université de Sherbrooke, Sherbrooke, QC, J1K 2R1, Canada
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Roussin-Léveillée C, Silva-Martins G, Moffett P. ARGONAUTE5 Represses Age-Dependent Induction of Flowering through Physical and Functional Interaction with miR156 in Arabidopsis. Plant Cell Physiol 2020; 61:957-966. [PMID: 32105323 DOI: 10.1093/pcp/pcaa022] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/18/2019] [Accepted: 02/20/2020] [Indexed: 05/22/2023]
Abstract
Flowering time is a finely tuned process in plants, in part controlled by the age-regulated microRNA156 (miR156), which functions by suppressing the transcripts of SQUAMOSA-PROMOTER BINDING LIKE (SPL) transcription factors. ARGONAUTE (AGO) proteins are essential effectors of miRNA-mediated gene regulation. However, which AGO(s) mediate(s) the control of flowering time remains unclear. Here, we demonstrate a role of AGO5 in controlling flowering time by modulating the expression of SPL transcription factors. We show that AGO5 interacts physically and functionally with miR156 and that ago5 mutants present an early flowering phenotype in Arabidopsis. Furthermore, in ago5 mutants, the repression of flowering caused by miR156 overexpression is largely reversed, whereas leaf morphology remains unaffected. Our results thus indicate a specific role for AGO5 in mediating miR156 activity in meristematic, but not vegetative, tissue. As such, our data suggest a spatiotemporal regulation of the miR156 aging pathway mediated through different AGO proteins in different tissues.
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Affiliation(s)
- Charles Roussin-Léveillée
- Centre S�VE, D�partement de Biologie, Universit� de Sherbrooke, Sherbrooke, Qu�bec J1K 2R1, Canada
| | - Guilherme Silva-Martins
- Centre S�VE, D�partement de Biologie, Universit� de Sherbrooke, Sherbrooke, Qu�bec J1K 2R1, Canada
| | - Peter Moffett
- Centre S�VE, D�partement de Biologie, Universit� de Sherbrooke, Sherbrooke, Qu�bec J1K 2R1, Canada
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