Article
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Jesus Martinez-Cruz, Diego Romero, Jesus Hierrezuelo, Michael Thon, Antonio de Vicente, Alejandro Perez-Garcia
Summary: Fungi suppress plant immunity by releasing chitinases to break down immunogenic chitin oligomers, preventing the activation of chitin-triggered immunity. These effectors, known as effectors with chitinase activity (EWCAs), are widely distributed in pathogenic fungi.
Article
Infectious Diseases
Uma Shankar, Subodh Kumar Mishra, Neha Jain, Arpita Tawani, Puja Yadav, Amit Kumar
Summary: This study identified and characterized conserved G-quadruplex motifs in Helicobacter pylori, which may affect the expression and function of nickel transporter genes in the bacterium. Targeting these conserved G-quadruplex motifs with bioactive molecules could potentially be a novel therapeutic approach for combating H. pylori infection.
INFECTION GENETICS AND EVOLUTION
(2022)
Article
Plant Sciences
Wen Chen, Devon Radford, Sarah Hambleton
Summary: A curated ITS2 reference database was compiled for monitoring the dispersion of fungal inocula using metabarcoding. The ITS2 region had reasonable discriminating power for most rust fungi. Evaluations of ITS2 primers revealed variations in DNA amplification efficiency. The study validated ITS2 primer pairs for profiling airborne rust fungal communities and developed a bioinformatics pipeline for accurate identification of short metabarcodes.
Article
Microbiology
Mariana Tarallo, Rebecca L. McDougal, Zhiyuan Chen, Yan Wang, Rosie E. Bradshaw, Carl H. Mesarich
Summary: This article investigates the effector protein families Ecp20 and Ecp32 in Dothistroma septosporum and Fulvia fulva, two fungal species that cause plant diseases. The study finds that these effector proteins can trigger cell death responses and are recognized by plant immune receptors.
FRONTIERS IN MICROBIOLOGY
(2022)
Article
Genetics & Heredity
Barbara Ramsak, Jessica Markau, Tobias Pazen, Tim A. Dahlmann, Sven Krappmann, Ulrich Kueck
Summary: The DNA-binding sequence of the MAT1-1-1 transcription factor from Aspergillus fumigatus was identified and characterized. The study explored MAT1-1-1 DNA-binding targets, revealing insights into gene expression regulation in fungi through the alpha-box domain regulators. The specific DNA-binding specificity and affinity were confirmed through mutational analysis and equilibrium dissociation constant determination.
G3-GENES GENOMES GENETICS
(2021)
Article
Microbiology
Shadab Farhadi Cheshmeh Morvari, Bethany L. McCann, Elaine M. Bignell
Summary: For human fungal pathogens, sensory perception of extracellular pH is crucial for colonization of mammalian tissues and immune evasion. Recent findings have shown that the molecular complexes responsible for perceiving and transmitting the fungal pH signal are membrane-proximal and essential for virulence. Interestingly, the sensory machinery has evolved differently in different fungal pathogens, but the spatial coordination of cellular components is conserved.
CURRENT CLINICAL MICROBIOLOGY REPORTS
(2023)
Article
Plant Sciences
Zhimin Du, Yuelin Peng, Gensheng Zhang, Li Chen, Shuchang Jiang, Zhensheng Kang, Jie Zhao
Summary: This study revealed that the wheat stripe rust pathogen can undergo sexual reproduction on susceptible barberry in late autumn in Tibet, China. The findings contribute to the understanding of wheat stripe rust and provide insights into disease management in the region.
Article
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Jinping Wei, Xiaodong Wang, Zeyu Hu, Xiaojie Wang, Jialiu Wang, Jianfeng Wang, Xueling Huang, Zhensheng Kang, Chunlei Tang
Summary: The obligate biotrophic fungus Puccinia striiformis f. sp. tritici (Pst) employs the effector Hasp98 to inhibit wheat's immune responses and promote the infection of P. striiformis. Hasp98 interacts with the wheat protein TaMAPK4, inhibiting its kinase activity and interfering with the MAPK signaling pathway. This study provides insights into how Pst effectors regulate host defense responses and promote stripe rust disease.
JOURNAL OF INTEGRATIVE PLANT BIOLOGY
(2023)
Article
Plant Sciences
Linying Du, Xueling Huang, Li Ding, Zhongxue Wang, Dongling Tang, Bin Chen, Lanjiya Ao, Yuling Liu, Zhensheng Kang, Hude Mao
Summary: This study reveals the important role of TaERF87 in regulating drought tolerance in wheat. TaERF87 enhances drought tolerance by activating the expression of proline biosynthesis genes and synergistically interacts with TaAKS1. These findings contribute to the development of elite drought-tolerant wheat varieties.
Article
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Xiaobo Wei, Xueling Huang, Weiling Yang, Xinran Wang, Tao Guan, Zhensheng Kang, Jie Liu
Summary: This study cloned and identified a wheat G6DPH gene, TaG6PDH2, which is significantly upregulated in wheat leaves infected with Puccinia striiformis f. sp. tritici (Pst) or treated with abiotic stress factors. Functional analysis revealed that TaG6PDH2 encodes a chloroplast-targeting G6PDH protein. Silencing TaG6PDH2 compromised wheat resistance to Pst avirulent pathotype CYR23, and TaG6PDH2 was found to interact with wheat glutaredoxin TaGrxS4.
INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF MOLECULAR SCIENCES
(2023)
Article
Plant Sciences
Biao Gu, Wenxin Gao, Zeqi Liu, Guangda Shao, Qin Peng, Yinyu Mu, Qinhu Wang, Hua Zhao, Jianqiang Miao, Xili Liu
Summary: As a destructive plant pathogen, Phytophthora infestans secretes specific proteins called RxLR effectors that facilitate infection. One of these effectors, PiAvr3b, causes a specific immune response and also suppresses the general immune response. The molecular basis of these dual activities has been unknown, but this study found that specific amino acids in PiAvr3b were responsible for both activities. The localization of PiAv3b within the cell also plays a role in its ability to stimulate or suppress immune responses.
MOLECULAR PLANT PATHOLOGY
(2023)
Article
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Yingchao Sun, Xiaojie Wang, Feiyang Liu, Haoyu Guo, Jianfeng Wang, Zetong Wei, Zhensheng Kang, Chunlei Tang
Summary: Plant cell surface RLKs play a crucial role in recognizing and responding to pathogen invasion. In this study, a specific RLK gene (TaBIR1) was found to be upregulated during wheat resistance to Puccinia striiformis f. sp. tritici (Pst) infection. TaBIR1 was shown to be located on the plasma membrane and its knockdown resulted in decreased wheat resistance to stripe rust. Overexpression of TaBIR1 triggered constitutive immune responses in Nicotiana benthamiana. Moreover, TaBIR1's immune response is dependent on the homologues of NbBAK1 in wheat.
INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF MOLECULAR SCIENCES
(2023)
Correction
Plant Sciences
Huaijian Xu, Meng Ye, Aliang Xia, Hang Jiang, Panpan Huang, Huiquan Liu, Rui Hou, Qinhu Wang, Dongao Li, Jin-Rong Xu, Cong Jiang
Article
Plant Sciences
Fan Ji, Aihong Zhou, Bofan Liu, Yue Liu, Yaoxuan Feng, Xiaodong Wang, Lili Huang, Zhensheng Kang, Gangming Zhan
Summary: This study assessed the resistance risk of wheat leaf rust to the fungicide triadimefon in China. The majority of tested Pt isolates were sensitive to triadimefon, but 10.2% exhibited varying degrees of resistance. The resistant isolates showed strong adaptive traits in parasitic fitness. No correlation was found between triadimefon and other fungicides with similar or different modes of action. The risk of resistance to triadimefon in Pt may be low to moderate.
Article
Virology
Yanhui Zhang, Hualong Guo, Siyu Zhou, Daipeng Chen, Gang Xu, Zhensheng Kang, Li Zheng
Summary: We report a new mitovirus, named Puccinia striiformis mitovirus 2 (PsMV2), from the wheat stripe rust fungus. PsMV2 exhibited high multiplication during Pst infection and suppressed programmed cell death triggered by Bax. Silencing of PsMV2 reduced fungal growth and pathogenicity of Pst. Our results indicate that PsMV2 promotes pathogenicity and has a wide distribution in field isolates of Pst.
Article
Microbiology
Haoming Wang, Rong Huang, Jingyi Ren, Lihua Tang, Suiping Huang, Xiaolin Chen, Jun Fan, Bintao Li, Qinhu Wang, Tom Hsiang, Huiquan Liu, Qili Li
Summary: Anthracnose diseases caused by Colletotrichum species are common fungal diseases that seriously affect fruit yield and quality. In this study, we sequenced and analyzed the genomes of 17 Colletotrichum strains and identified mini-chromosomes. Through comparative genomics analysis, we found extensive chromosomal rearrangements events. Our findings revealed the evolution and potential relationships between mini-chromosomes and virulence in Colletotrichum.
Article
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Jia Guo, Ying Mou, Yuanxing Li, Qing Yang, Xue Wang, Haocheng Lin, Zhensheng Kang, Jun Guo
Summary: This study identified 131 chitinase genes in 10 fungal genomes and found 16 chitinase genes from Puccinia striiformis f. sp. tritici (Pst). The expression of PstChia1 was the highest during Pst infection and it showed chitinase enzyme activity. Silencing PstChia1 limited the growth and reduced the virulence of Pst, indicating its role in pathogenicity and interference with plant immunity.
INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF MOLECULAR SCIENCES
(2023)
Article
Plant Sciences
Muye Xiao, Dezhi Chen, Saifei Liu, Anle Chen, Anfei Fang, Binnian Tian, Yang Yu, Chaowei Bi, Zhensheng Kang, Yuheng Yang
Summary: A chitin deacetylase called PsCDA2 was identified in the wheat stripe rust fungus Pst, which inhibits plant cell death and protects the fungus from host chitinase. This discovery provides insights into the mechanism of plant immune suppression and has implications for wheat stripe rust control.
MOLECULAR PLANT PATHOLOGY
(2023)
Article
Plant Sciences
Wanlu Duan, Zhenkai Hao, Huihui Pang, Yuxi Peng, Yiwen Xu, Yanfei Zhang, Ying Zhang, Zhensheng Kang, Jing Zhao
Summary: Regulation of host gene expression by fungal pathogens is an important strategy for promoting disease. In this study, a fungal effector called PstGTA1 was identified from Puccinia striiformis f. sp. tritici (Pst). It was found to have transcriptional activating activity and contribute to the virulence of Pst by targeting the promoter of a wheat gene called TaSIG. This study provides the first evidence for a fungal effector modulating host gene transcription through promoter binding and histone acetylation.
Article
Multidisciplinary Sciences
Mingyu Ding, Shulin Cao, Daiying Xu, Aliang Xia, Zeyi Wang, Wanshan Wang, Kaili Duan, Chenyu Wu, Qinhu Wang, Jie Liang, Diwen Wang, Huiquan Liu, Jin-Rong Xu, Cong Jiang
Summary: This study reveals the essential role of Gia1, a non-pheromone G protein-coupled receptor, in meiosis and ascosporogenesis in Fusarium graminearum and other filamentous ascomycetes. Gia1 regulates these processes through the downstream Gpmk1 MAP kinase pathway.
PROCEEDINGS OF THE NATIONAL ACADEMY OF SCIENCES OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA
(2023)
Article
Microbiology
Mengxin Zhao, Yanhui Zhang, Hualong Guo, Pengfei Gan, Mengmeng Cai, Zhensheng Kang, Yulin Cheng
Summary: This study identified and analyzed the function of CAP superfamily proteins in the wheat stripe rust pathogen Puccinia striiformis f. sp. tritici (Pst). The results showed that PsCAP1, PsCAP4, and PsCAP5 play significant roles in Pst infection in wheat.