Article
Microbiology
Laura Ruiz-Jimenez, Alvaro Polonio, Alejandra Vielba-Fernandez, Alejandro Perez-Garcia, Dolores Fernandez-Ortuno
Summary: This study investigated the suitability of using RNAi technology called spray-induced gene silencing (SIGS) to control cucurbit powdery mildew, showing that dsRNA applications can induce gene silencing and reduce fungal growth and disease symptoms. The results support that SIGS could be a sustainable approach to combat powdery mildew diseases.
Review
Microbiology
Nisrine Bakhat, Alejandra Vielba-Fernandez, Isabel Padilla-Roji, Jesus Martinez-Cruz, Alvaro Polonio, Dolores Fernandez-Ortuno, Alejandro Perez-Garcia
Summary: Fungal pathogens pose a growing threat to crop production worldwide, and chitin-induced immunity plays a crucial role in plant defense against these pathogens. However, fungi have developed various strategies to evade chitin-triggered immunity, including the secretion of effector proteins that modify or degrade chitin oligomers. This review provides an overview of chitin-triggered immune signaling and the mechanisms employed by fungi to suppress it, using powdery mildew fungi as an example.
Article
Plant Sciences
Alvaro Polonio, Dolores Fernandez-Ortuno, Antonio de Vicente, Alejandro Perez-Garcia
Summary: PHEC27213 is a novel fungal LPMO that catalyzes chitooligosaccharides, contributing to the suppression of plant immunity during haustorium development. This protein has the potential to prevent the activation of chitin-triggered immunity, representing a new mechanism in fungal pathogens to manipulate host immunity.
MOLECULAR PLANT PATHOLOGY
(2021)
Article
Plant Sciences
Yigal Elad, Dor Barnea, Dalia Rav-David, Uri Yermiyahu
Summary: The study found that spraying CaCl2, MgCl2, KCl, and K2SO4 can reduce the occurrence of cucumber powdery mildew. There is a significant negative correlation between salt concentrations and disease severity. Chloride salts are more effective than sulfate salts. Cucumbers at different growth stages have different nutrient requirements, and spraying treatments are more effective than fertigation treatments.
Article
Plant Sciences
Shuwu Zhang, Jia Liu, Bingliang Xu, Jingjiang Zhou
Summary: The study demonstrated that the Sixing F-1 cultivar showed stronger resistance to P. xanthii infection compared to the Jin(12) F-1 cultivar. This resistance mechanism may involve activating and enhancing the activity and gene expression of the phenylpropanoids pathway, ROS scavenging defense enzymes, and signaling pathway marker gene expression in C. pepo cultivars to prevent pathogen infection and improve plant disease resistance.
FRONTIERS IN PLANT SCIENCE
(2021)
Article
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Seunghwan Kim, Sathiyamoorthy Subramaniyam, Myunghee Jung, Eun-A Oh, Tae Ho Kim, Jeong-Gu Kim
Summary: Cucurbitaceae family consists of approximately 33 common fruits and vegetables, making it an important worldwide crop family. However, the resistance of pathogens to pesticides and fungicides has become a growing issue in cultivation practices. This study characterized the genome of the fungal pathogen Podosphaera xanthii, providing a valuable resource for future research on its host-specific pathogenesis.
MOLECULAR PLANT-MICROBE INTERACTIONS
(2021)
Article
Agronomy
Haonan Cui, Chao Fan, Zhuo Ding, Xuezheng Wang, Lili Tang, Yingdong Bi, Feishi Luan, Peng Gao
Summary: In this study, two genes for resistance to Podosphaera xanthii race 1 in melon were identified. Through the analysis of the disease-resistant MR-1 melon cultivar, two candidate genes related to powdery mildew resistance were found. These findings provide new genetic resources and markers for marker-assisted breeding for powdery mildew resistance in melon.
THEORETICAL AND APPLIED GENETICS
(2022)
Article
Multidisciplinary Sciences
Qiaolan Liang, Liexin Wei, Bingliang Xu, Jia Liu, Shuwu Zhang, Lilong Liu
Summary: This study reveals the molecular mechanism of fungicide resistance development in Podosphaera xanthii, a fungi causing powdery mildew in hull-less pumpkin. The resistant strains obtained through generations of treatment showed stable resistance levels. DNA sequence comparison identified mutation in two resistant strains.
Article
Agronomy
Yutaka Kimura, Mark Z. Nemeth, Kana Numano, Asami Mitao, Tomomi Shirakawa, Diana Seress, Yoshihiro Takikawa, Koji Kakutani, Yoshinori Matsuda, Levente Kiss, Teruo Nonomura
Summary: This study evaluated the effectiveness of hyperparasitic fungi in controlling powdery mildew. In a greenhouse, we spray-inoculated colonies of the melon PM-causing fungus with spores of the hyperparasitic fungus Ampelomyces sp. We collected and counted the conidia produced by the PM colonies and found that the hyperparasitic fungus suppressed the release of conidia. This study is the first to use electrostatic and digital microscopic techniques to assess the impact of fungal hyperparasitism on mycohost survival and quantitatively evaluate the suppression of conidial release from infected PM colonies.
Article
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Alvaro Polonio, Luis Diaz-Martinez, Dolores Fernandez-Ortuno, Antonio de Vicente, Diego Romero, Francisco J. Lopez-Ruiz, Alejandro Perez-Garcia
Summary: This study presents the first reference genome assembly for P. xanthii, a key fungal pathogen of cucurbit crops. The hybrid genome assembly method resulted in 1,727 scaffolds with a genome size of 142 Mb, predicting 14,911 complete genes and identifying repetitive sequences comprising 76.2% of the genome. This genome assembly significantly enhances molecular resources for studying P. xanthii-cucurbit interactions and provides new opportunities for genomics, transcriptomics, and evolutionary research in powdery mildew fungi.
MOLECULAR PLANT-MICROBE INTERACTIONS
(2021)
Article
Plant Sciences
Mo Zhu, Xiao Duan, Qianqian Zeng, Pengkun Cai, Wenqi Shi, Zongbo Qiu
Summary: This study identified Podosphaera xanthii as the causal organism of powdery mildew on Impatiens balsamina for the first time in China. The virulence of the pathogen on I. balsamina was confirmed using Koch's postulates, which will support future efforts in disease control and management.
CANADIAN JOURNAL OF PLANT PATHOLOGY
(2022)
Article
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Lihong Song, Yan Chen, Xiangshun An, Chao Ding, Chunya Bu
Summary: Chitin metabolism has been considered as a potential target for developing biorational pesticides. Research on chitin deacetylases TuCDA1 and TuCDA2 in twospotted spider mites showed that dsRNA feeding against these enzymes had lethal effects, with TuCDA2 exhibiting stronger phenotype. However, using both dsRNA-CDA1 and dsRNA-CDA2 did not significantly enhance the lethal effects of dsRNA-CDA2, suggesting partial redundancy between TuCDA1 and TuCDA2.
PESTICIDE BIOCHEMISTRY AND PHYSIOLOGY
(2021)
Article
Agronomy
Katherine E. M. Hendricks, Pamela D. Roberts
Summary: Cucurbit powdery mildew caused by Podosphaera xanthii is a significant problem for cucurbit production worldwide. In the United States, the fungus has developed resistance to several fungicides. This study aimed to evaluate the sensitivity of locally obtained isolates in Florida to commercially available fungicides under laboratory, greenhouse, and field conditions. The results showed that some fungicides provided adequate control of powdery mildew, but none were able to completely prevent the establishment and sporulation of P. xanthii. Further research is necessary to monitor fungicide resistance, establish effective concentrations, and optimize application regimes.
Article
Microbiology
Ziyi Wang, Yujiao Du, Suhao Li, Xuewen Xu, Xuehao Chen
Summary: In this study, the draft genome assembly of P. xanthii isolate YZU573 was obtained, revealing a total of 87 putative effector candidates with 22 novel ones. This research provides valuable resources to better understand the plant-microbe interaction in cucumber powdery mildew disease.
Article
Plant Sciences
Afonso Luiz Almeida Freires, Francisco Romario Andrade Figueiredo, Tatianne Raianne Costa Alves, Karol Alves Barroso, Igor Vinicius Pereira da Silva, Jarlan Lucas Santos Silva, Geovane de Almeida Nogueira, Naama Jessica Assis Melo, Rui Sales Junior, Andreia Mitsa Paiva Negreiros, Marcia Michelle de Queiroz Ambrosio
Summary: This study aimed to determine effective alternative products for managing powdery mildew in melon. The results showed that raw milk and Copper Crop (R) were two effective control methods that reduced disease severity and increased the levels of sugar content in melon.
TROPICAL PLANT PATHOLOGY
(2022)
Article
Chemistry, Medicinal
Maria Galvez-Llompart, Riccardo Zanni, Ramon Garcia-Domenech, Jorge Galvez
Summary: Despite being considered an orphan disease, amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) is seeing a rapid increase in prevalence, making it difficult to find effective treatments. Computational methods based on receptors or ligands have the potential to improve the success rate of potential drug candidates and reduce resources and time. This study presents a computational strategy based on Molecular Topology to create a reliable tool for identifying and repurposing potential drugs for ALS treatment in the early stages.
Article
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Maria Galvez-Llompart, Riccardo Zanni, Jorge Galvez, Subhash C. Basak, Sagar M. Goyal
Summary: This study demonstrates the potential of drug repurposing in tackling pandemics. The researchers identified molecules with anti-SARS-CoV-2 activity through in silico screening and validated their effectiveness in vitro.
Article
Agriculture, Multidisciplinary
Riccardo Zanni, Jesus Martinez-Cruz, Maria Galvez-Llompart, Dolores Fernandez-Ortuno, Diego Romero, Ramon Garcia-Domenech, Alejandro Perez-Garcia, Jorge Galvez
Summary: Fungicide resistance is a serious issue in modern agriculture, and the development of new and environmentally friendly chemicals is in high demand. In this study, a computational strategy based on quantitative structure-activity relationship (QSAR) and molecular topology (MT) was used to discover potential chitin deacetylase (CDA) inhibitors. The identified inhibitors showed fungicidal activity and the ability to stimulate the plant immune system, making them promising candidates for combating resistant fungal species.
JOURNAL OF AGRICULTURAL AND FOOD CHEMISTRY
(2022)
Article
Microbiology
Jesus M. Martinez-Cruz, Alvaro Polonio, Laura Ruiz-Jimenez, Alejandra Vielba-Fernandez, Jesus Hierrezuelo, Diego Romero, Antonio de Vicente, Dolores Fernandez-Ortuno, Alejandro Perez-Garcia
Summary: Phytopathogenic fungi have evolved mechanisms to manipulate plant defenses by preventing chitin recognition, with the CDA gene playing a crucial role in powdery mildew fungi. A new fungal chitin-binding effector, CHBE, has been identified as involved in the manipulation of chitin-triggered immunity in powdery mildew fungi.
Article
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Angela Garcia-Garcia, Jesus Vicente de Julian-Ortiz, Jorge Galvez, David Font, Carles Ayats, Maria del Remedio Guna Serrano, Carlos Munoz-Collado, Rafael Borras, Jose Manuel Villalgordo
Summary: A method for identifying molecular scaffolds active against Mycobacterium tuberculosis complex (MTBC) has been developed. A mathematical model based on topological descriptors was constructed and validated, with an accuracy of over 86% in discriminating active and inactive compounds. The model was also effective in selecting potential antituberculosis compounds and several new compounds showed activity in vitro.
INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF MOLECULAR SCIENCES
(2022)
Review
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Isabel Padilla-Roji, Laura Ruiz-Jimenez, Nisrine Bakhat, Alejandra Vielba-Fernandez, Alejandro Perez-Garcia, Dolores Fernandez-Ortuno
Summary: RNA interference (RNAi) technology plays a crucial role in the study and management of powdery mildew and rust fungi by allowing gene function analysis and potential disease control approaches.
INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF MOLECULAR SCIENCES
(2023)
Article
Microbiology
Alicia I. Perez-Lorente, Carlos Molina-Santiago, Antonio de Vicente, Diego Romero
Summary: The study examines the competition dynamics between Pseudomonas and Bacillus and the mechanism by which a T6SS toxin modifies Bacillus physiology. The researchers found that Pseudomonas triggers Bacillus sporulation by injecting a toxin called Tse1 through T6SS, which degrades Bacillus peptidoglycan and damages Bacillus membrane functionality.
MICROBIOLOGY SPECTRUM
(2023)
Article
Biotechnology & Applied Microbiology
Eva Zanditenas, Meirav Trebicz-Geffen, Divya Kolli, Laura Dominguez-Garcia, Einan Farhi, Liat Linde, Diego Romero, Matthew Chapman, Ilana Kolodkin-Gal, Serge Ankri
Summary: The human protozoan parasite Entamoeba histolytica is capable of invading and degrading biofilms formed by bacteria, which could potentially provide a new approach for treating biofilms. The parasite's cysteine proteinases play a crucial role in the degradation process and also contribute to parasite adhesion to the biofilm. These proteinases are also involved in degrading biofilms formed by other enteric pathogens. Additionally, biofilms can protect the parasite against oxidative stress and products derived from the parasite have been shown to restore antibiotic sensitivity to biofilm cells. Probiotic biofilms, on the other hand, can act as a protective shield for mammalian cells, hindering parasite progression.
NPJ BIOFILMS AND MICROBIOMES
(2023)
Article
Biotechnology & Applied Microbiology
Jesus Camara-Almiron, Laura Dominguez-Garcia, Nadia El Mammeri, Alons Lends, Birgit Habenstein, Antonio de Vicente, Antoine Loquet, Diego Romero
Summary: This study demonstrates that recombinantly purified RcTasA retains the biochemical properties of the entire protein and shows that two aggregation-prone stretches and imperfect amino acid repeats in RcTasA contribute to its amyloid-like capacity. The study also identifies the critical role of residues D64, K68, and D69 in the structural function of TasA. Experiments with mutant versions of TasA reveal a partial loss of function in the assembly of the extracellular matrix or the stability of the core and amyloid-like properties. Overall, these findings provide insights into the polymerization process of TasA and the sequence determinants that govern the behavior of protein filaments in bacteria.
NPJ BIOFILMS AND MICROBIOMES
(2023)
Review
Microbiology
Nisrine Bakhat, Alejandra Vielba-Fernandez, Isabel Padilla-Roji, Jesus Martinez-Cruz, Alvaro Polonio, Dolores Fernandez-Ortuno, Alejandro Perez-Garcia
Summary: Fungal pathogens pose a growing threat to crop production worldwide, and chitin-induced immunity plays a crucial role in plant defense against these pathogens. However, fungi have developed various strategies to evade chitin-triggered immunity, including the secretion of effector proteins that modify or degrade chitin oligomers. This review provides an overview of chitin-triggered immune signaling and the mechanisms employed by fungi to suppress it, using powdery mildew fungi as an example.
Article
Chemistry, Applied
Maria A. Acquavia, Jos e J. Benitez, Giuliana Bianco, Maria A. Crescenzi, Jesus Hierrezuelo, Montserrat Grife-Ruiz, Diego Romero, Susana Guzman-Puyol, Jose A. Heredia-Guerrero
Summary: Reinforced films were produced by impregnating paper with ethyl cellulose solutions, improving the mechanical and barrier properties. Avocado by-products extract, rich in phenolic compounds and flavonoids, was incorporated into the reinforced paper, reducing water absorption, increasing biodegradability, and acting as a barrier for bacteria. These films demonstrated potential for food packaging with low migrations and similar food preservation to polyethylene.
Article
Food Science & Technology
Maria Galvez-Llompart, Riccardo Zanni, Lara Manyes, Giuseppe Meca
Summary: Machine learning models based on quantitative structure-activity relationship (QSAR) were used to predict the lipid peroxidation activity of mycotoxins. Two algorithms, Linear Discriminant Analysis (LDA) and Artificial Neural Networks (ANNs), were trained and achieved high classification rates. These models provide a fast, accurate, and cost-effective means to assess mycotoxin toxicity and mechanism of action.
FOOD AND CHEMICAL TOXICOLOGY
(2023)