Review
Microbiology
Rhys Brown, Emily Priest, Julian R. Naglik, Jonathan P. Richardson
Summary: Fungi produce toxins that have significant impacts on health, but our understanding of how these toxins modulate immune responses is still incomplete, requiring further research.
FRONTIERS IN MICROBIOLOGY
(2021)
Article
Plant Sciences
Ravindra Kumar Chandan, Rahul Kumar, Durga Madhab Swain, Srayan Ghosh, Prakash Kumar Bhagat, Sunita Patel, Ganesh Bagler, Alok Krishna Sinha, Gopaljee Jha
Summary: AtRAV1, a transcription factor, is involved in the basal defense response in Arabidopsis thaliana. Overexpression of AtRAV1 confers disease resistance against fungal pathogens, while atrv1 mutants are hyper-susceptible to these pathogens. AtRAV1 is phosphorylated by AtMPK3 and this phosphorylation is important for the defense response in A. thaliana. RAV1 homologs can be used to enhance disease resistance in agriculturally important crop plants.
Article
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Srayan Ghosh, Ravi Kant, Amrita Pradhan, Gopaljee Jha
Summary: The study successfully employed HIGS and dsRNA technologies to downregulate pathogenic genes of R. solani in tomato, with significant reduction in disease symptoms and pathogen colonization depth observed upon silencing of the RS_CRZ1 gene. Additionally, coregulated genes with RS_CRZ1 were identified during the pathogenicity process, highlighting the importance of RS_CRZ1 in managing the hostile environment encountered during host colonization and the potential of gene silencing approaches for functional characterization of pathogenicity determinants of R. solani.
MOLECULAR PLANT-MICROBE INTERACTIONS
(2021)
Review
Microbiology
Muhammad Umer, Mustansar Mubeen, Qaiser Shakeel, Sajjad Ali, Yasir Iftikhar, Rabia Tahir Bajwa, Naureen Anwar, Muhammad Junaid Rao, Yuejun He
Summary: Mycoviruses can be used as biocontrol agents to manage fungal diseases, and they have been found in various fungal kingdoms and genera. The rice sheath blight caused by Rhizoctonia solani is a significant crop disease, and mycoviruses have been proven to control it.
Review
Microbiology
Ioly Kotta-Loizou
Summary: The research focus in mycovirology has expanded to include not only plant pathogenic fungi and hypovirulence mediated by mycovirus, but also insect and human pathogenic fungi and a variety of mycovirus mediated phenotypes such as hypervirulence, control of endophytic traits, regulation of metabolite production and drug resistance. In interactions involving fungus, mycovirus and the environment, environmental factors and both abiotic and biotic factors are crucial in determining whether and how mycovirus mediated phenotypes manifest. Mycovirus infections can lead to changes in the host transcriptome profile through protein-protein interactions and the initiation of antiviral RNA silencing in the fungus, potentially resulting in desirable phenotypic traits for the host, humans, and sometimes both.
CURRENT OPINION IN MICROBIOLOGY
(2021)
Article
Plant Sciences
B. Liu, R. Stevens-Green, D. Johal, R. Buchanan, J. Geddes-McAlister
Summary: Fungal infections of cereal crops present a significant threat to global food security by reducing grain production and contaminating products for consumption. Understanding the interactions between fungal pathogens and hosts through proteomics is crucial for disease control, with mass spectrometry offering an advanced platform for this research.
JOURNAL OF PLANT PHYSIOLOGY
(2022)
Review
Plant Sciences
Aron Osakina, Yulin Jia
Summary: Weedy rice, also known as red rice, has evolved through independent events and acquired competitive abilities that severely impact rice yields. Understanding these evolutionary processes is crucial for weed management and transferring weedy rice traits to cultivated rice.
Article
Entomology
Chinnaswami Kannan, Divya Mishra, Gonuguntala Rekha, Pesari Maruthi, Hajira Shaik, Raman Meenakshi Sundaram
Summary: Biocontrol is an effective strategy in plant disease management, with microbial diversity providing opportunities for exploration. The study isolated different Trichoderma and Bacillus isolates, with consortia of these microbes showing significant disease reduction and plant growth promotion activities. Additionally, certain Bacillus and Trichoderma strains were identified as effective against specific pathogens, with TAIK1 and BIK3 being the most promising isolates.
EGYPTIAN JOURNAL OF BIOLOGICAL PEST CONTROL
(2021)
Article
Plant Sciences
Mei Zhao, Chenjiaozi Wang, Jun Wan, Zanfeng Li, Dilin Liu, Naoki Yamamoto, Erxun Zhou, Canwei Shu
Summary: A newly established TRV-HIGS system was used to validate pathogenicity genes in the rice sheath blight pathogen R. solani, with 29 out of 33 candidate genes showing significant reduction in necrosis caused by GD-118 infection. Stable rice transformants harboring double-stranded RNA constructs for one positive gene, trehalose-6-phosphate phosphatase (Rstps2), exhibited reduced gene expression, virulence, and trehalose accumulation in GD-118, indicating the potential for controlling the disease through gene silencing techniques.
MOLECULAR PLANT PATHOLOGY
(2021)
Article
Plant Sciences
Atul Prakash Sathe, Amit Kumar, Rushil Mandlik, Gaurav Raturi, Himanshu Yadav, Nirbhay Kumar, S. M. Shivaraj, Rajdeep Jaswal, Ritu Kapoor, Santosh Kumar Gupta, Tilak Raj Sharma, Humira Sonah
Summary: Rice blast and sheath blight, caused by specific pathogens, result in significant losses in rice production globally. Utilizing broad-spectrum resistance resources, such as Silicon, is an effective strategy to enhance plant resistance against these diseases. Silicon's prophylactic effects on plant growth and its potential role in inducing resistance mechanisms highlight its importance in sustainable rice production.
PLANT PHYSIOLOGY AND BIOCHEMISTRY
(2021)
Article
Ecology
Austen Apigo, Ryoko Oono
Summary: This study explored the relationship between patterns of host specificity in foliar fungal endophytes and characteristics of the plant community. The results showed that more abundant plant species harbored fewer endophyte species and that these endophytes were consistently found in the same plant species across the landscape. There was no relationship between plant phylogenetic distance and endophyte community dissimilarity.
Article
Ecology
Moriah Sandy, Tina I. Bui, Kenia Segura Aba, Nestor Ruiz, John Paszalek, Elise W. Connor, Christine V. Hawkes
Summary: The chemical interactions between fungal endophytes and plant leaves are likely to be the key mechanism affecting plant phenotypic traits. This study found that multiple fungal strains share functional similarities in their effects on plant growth and physiology under unstressed conditions. Plant metabolomics profiles were correlated with fungal treatments, and specific metabolites were associated with plant trait variation. These findings have implications for the development of metabolites as crop management tools.
Article
Ecology
Julien Roy, Ioanna Kyritsi, Nadja Reinwarth, Julien B. Bachelier, Matthias C. Rillig, Robert Luecking
Summary: Plant fungal pathogen Sphaeropsis sapinea poses a growing threat as climate change progresses. This study investigated the host and abiotic constraints on the distribution of S. sapinea using molecular-based surveys, historical records, growth experiments, and microscopy. The results showed that S. sapinea was detected on all seven studied Pine species, with Scots Pine being the most frequently recorded host and potentially the original host. Additionally, the fungus was not detected at elevations higher than 800 m in the French Alps. The study also found that low temperature inhibited the growth of S. sapinea, but a prior stress exposure at 35 degrees C increased its subsequent growth within its optimal temperature range (20-30 degrees C). Overall, the findings suggest that S. sapinea is more likely to cause tip blight in Scots Pine and could infect a wider range of pine hosts and locations with predicted temperature increases due to global climate change.
FRONTIERS IN FORESTS AND GLOBAL CHANGE
(2022)
Article
Plant Sciences
Xiaojing Shi, Xiaofang Zhang, Linyun Wu, Yiran Mi, Xuehong Wu, Zhihong Liang
Summary: Anastomosis groups of Rhizoctonia causing banded leaf and sheath blight (BLSB) on maize in Shanxi province of China were identified, with Rhizoctonia solani AG-5 being the most common pathogenic group. This study represents the first report on AGs of Rhizoctonia causing BLSB in Shanxi province, providing valuable information for disease management in maize cultivation.
JOURNAL OF PLANT PATHOLOGY
(2021)
Article
Plant Sciences
Faheem Ahamad, Mujeebur Rahman Khan
Summary: Sheath blight caused by Rhizoctonia solani is a major disease in rice-growing districts in Uttar Pradesh, India, leading to severe yield loss. Disease incidence and severity are positively correlated with the soil population of R. solani. The disease occurrence and severity are significantly influenced by higher temperatures and relative humidity. Higher doses of nitrogen fertilizer also contribute to greater disease severity.
Article
Microbiology
Joyati Das, Rahul Kumar, Sunil Kumar Yadav, Gopaljee Jha
Summary: The mycophagous bacterium Burkholderia gladioli strain NGJ1 encodes two paralogues of RpoN, rpoN1 and rpoN2, which are essential for efficient biocontrol against the fungal pathogen Rhizoctonia solani in rice and tomato. These RpoN1 and RpoN2 modulate T3SS, nitrogen assimilation, and cellular transport systems to promote bacterial mycophagy.
ENVIRONMENTAL MICROBIOLOGY
(2022)
Article
Biology
Abhilasha Rai, Manindra Nath Jha, Devendra Singh, Shobit Thapa, Sanjeet Kumar Chaurasia, Gopaljee Jha
Summary: The research aimed to find suitable endophytic Rhizobium strains in the roots of Desariya rice, confirming the presence of potential diazotrophic endophytes. The study revealed that the endophytic Rhizobium in Desariya rice is similar to the nodulating Rhizobium in Aeschynomene aspera, making it a potential candidate for creating artificial symbiosis in rice in the future.
Review
Genetics & Heredity
B. S. Chandana, Rohit Kumar Mahto, Rajesh Kumar Singh, Rebecca Ford, Niloofar Vaghefi, Santosh Kumar Gupta, Hemant Kumar Yadav, Murli Manohar, Rajendra Kumar
Summary: Epigenomics is a significant research area that focuses on the impact of environmental changes and the mechanisms of epigenetic regulation in plants. It plays a crucial role in plant genetics, development, and adaptation to stresses, offering potential for improving crop breeding programs and climate resilience.
FRONTIERS IN GENETICS
(2022)
Article
Plant Sciences
Samapika Nandy, Saynati Mandal, Santosh Kumar Gupta, Uttpal Anand, Mimosa Ghorai, Avinash Mundhra, Md Habibur Rahman, Puja Ray, Sicon Mitra, Durga Ray, Milan Kumar Lal, Rahul Kumar Tiwari, Potshangbam Nongdam, Devendra Kumar Pandey, Mahipal S. Shekhawat, Niraj Kumar Jha, Saurabh Kumar Jha, Manoj Kumar, Radha, Javad Sharifi-Rad, Abhijit Dey
Summary: Global agricultural demand and fluctuating climatic conditions have severely impacted crop productivity and caused inflation in the agricultural market. Plants have their own molecular and signaling mechanisms to combat drought stress, with polyamine signaling playing a major role. Polyamine metabolism pathways are correlated with various plant responses, such as seed germination, plant growth, defense, hormonal regulation, stress tolerance, and crop yield. Recent transcriptomic and metabolomic studies have enhanced our understanding of stress-induced biochemical and molecular alterations in plants.
JOURNAL OF PLANT GROWTH REGULATION
(2023)
Article
Plant Sciences
Ranjan Kumar Sahoo, Ravindra Kumar Chandan, Durga Madhab Swain, Narendra Tuteja, Gopaljee Jha
Summary: The heterologous overexpression of pea DNA helicase PDH45 provides salt stress tolerance in rice and also enhances its resistance to sheath blight disease and drought stress. Improved management of photosynthetic machinery and scavenging of reactive oxygen species contribute to the stress tolerance mediated by PDH45.
PLANT PHYSIOLOGY AND BIOCHEMISTRY
(2022)
Article
Microbiology
Pankaj Kumar Sahoo, Rahul Kumar, Aruna Rani, Sunil Kumar Yadav, Gopaljee Jha, Deepti Jain
Summary: In this study, the Bg_9562 protein was structurally characterized and found to show structural similarity to the tail assembly chaperone Gp13. Mutagenesis experiments demonstrated that the N-terminal residues of the protein were important for its activity and filament formation. This study has important implications for the potential use of Bg_9562 as an antifungal molecule.
MICROBIOLOGY SPECTRUM
(2022)
Article
Biology
Aleena Francis, Srayan Ghosh, Kriti Tyagi, V. Prakasam, Mamta Rani, Nagendra Pratap Singh, Amrita Pradhan, R. M. Sundaram, C. Priyanka, G. S. Laha, C. Kannan, M. S. Prasad, Debasis Chattopadhyay, Gopaljee Jha
Summary: This study reveals whole-genome duplication, TE-mediated neofunctionalization of genes, and evolution of pathogenicity traits in R. solani AG1-IA. The pathogenicity-associated genes identified during the study can serve as novel targets for disease control.
Article
Plant Sciences
Ravindra Kumar Chandan, Rahul Kumar, Durga Madhab Swain, Srayan Ghosh, Prakash Kumar Bhagat, Sunita Patel, Ganesh Bagler, Alok Krishna Sinha, Gopaljee Jha
Summary: AtRAV1, a transcription factor, is involved in the basal defense response in Arabidopsis thaliana. Overexpression of AtRAV1 confers disease resistance against fungal pathogens, while atrv1 mutants are hyper-susceptible to these pathogens. AtRAV1 is phosphorylated by AtMPK3 and this phosphorylation is important for the defense response in A. thaliana. RAV1 homologs can be used to enhance disease resistance in agriculturally important crop plants.
Review
Plant Sciences
Sayanti Mandal, Santosh Kumar Gupta, Mimosa Ghorai, Manoj Tukaram Patil, Protha Biswas, Manoj Kumar, Radha, Abilash Valsala Gopalakrishnan, Vikas Moreshwar Mohture, Md. Habibur Rahman, Dorairaj Arvind Prasanth, Abhijit Bhagwan Mane, Niraj Kumar Jha, Saurabh Kumar Jha, Milan Kumar Lal, Rahul Kumar Tiwari, Abhijit Dey
Summary: Micronutrients such as zinc, iron, copper, and manganese are crucial for plant growth and have important cellular functions. Micronutrient deficiencies, particularly iron and zinc, have become a significant cause of hidden hunger. Enhancing the nutritional value of staple crops through biofortification is a simple and effective solution to address this issue. This article discusses the methods of absorption, positive characteristics, and involvement of micronutrients in improving crop yield, as well as the importance of biofortification as an agricultural solution. Several targeted biofortification strategies for nutrient enrichment of field crops have been reviewed, showing the potential of biofortification to increase agricultural production and ensure human food security and nutrient quality.
PLANT GROWTH REGULATION
(2023)
Article
Plant Sciences
Santosh Kumar Gupta, Niraj Kumar Vishwakarma, Paheli Malakar, Poonam Vanspati, Nilesh Kumar Sharma, Debasis Chattopadhyay
Summary: Chickpea is difficult to culture in vitro, but the CRISPR/Cas9-based genome editing technique can overcome the issue of limited genetic variation. A modified transformation protocol was developed to achieve successful genetic transformation and stable mutation in chickpea. This study is of great importance for establishing a gene editing system in chickpea.
Article
Microbiology
Joyati Das, Rahul Kumar, Sunil Kumar Yadav, Gopaljee Jha
Summary: The present study emphasizes that nicotinic acid (NA) is important for bacterial motility and biofilm formation during mycophagy by Burkholderia gladioli strain NGJ1. Defects in NA catabolism potentially alter the cellular NA pool, upregulate the expression of nicR, a negative regulator of biofilm, and therefore suppress bacterial motility as well as biofilm formation, leading to mycophagy defects.
MICROBIOLOGY SPECTRUM
(2023)
Article
Plant Sciences
Nidhi Singh, Debasis Chattopadhyay, Santosh Kumar Gupta
Summary: Drought is a devastating abiotic factor that affects plant productivity and alters the microbiome in the rhizosphere. It modifies the composition of root exudate, impacting the abundance of soil microbes. This article discusses the feedback mechanism between soil microbes and root exudate in promoting drought tolerance in plants.
JOURNAL OF PLANT GROWTH REGULATION
(2023)
Article
Plant Sciences
Nilesh Kumar Sharma, Shalini Yadav, Santosh Kumar Gupta, Vadivelmurugan Irulappan, Aleena Francis, Muthappa Senthil-Kumar, Debasis Chattopadhyay
Summary: Plants respond to drought and pathogen attacks by depositing lignin in the secondary cell wall. In chickpea roots, the expression of several LAC genes is upregulated while microRNA397 (CamiR397) is downregulated in response to natural drought. CamiR397 targets LAC4 and LAC17L genes in chickpea roots. Overexpression of CamiR397 reduces lignin deposition and thickness of the xylem wall in chickpea roots. Downregulation of CamiR397 increases lignin deposition in chickpea roots. Furthermore, CamiR397-overexpressing and STTM397 chickpea lines show sensitivity and tolerance, respectively, to the fungal pathogen Macrophomina phaseolina, which causes dry root rot (DRR) disease in chickpea. This study highlights the regulatory role of CamiR397 in root lignification during drought and DRR in chickpea.
PLANT CELL AND ENVIRONMENT
(2023)
