Rational Design of a Potential New Nematicide Targeting Chitin Deacetylase.

In a previously published study, the authors devised a molecular topology QSAR (quantitative structure-activity relationship) approach to detect novel fungicides acting as inhibitors of chitin deacetylase (CDA). Several of the chosen compounds exhibited noteworthy activity. Due to the close relationship between chitin-related proteins present in fungi and other chitin-containing plant-parasitic species, the authors decided to test these molecules against nematodes, based on their negative impact on agriculture.

Suppression of Chitin-Triggered Immunity by a New Fungal Chitin-Binding Effector Resulting from Alternative Splicing of a Chitin Deacetylase Gene.

Phytopathogenic fungi have evolved mechanisms to manipulate plant defences, such as chitin-triggered immunity, a plant defensive response based on the recognition of chitin oligomers by plant-specific receptors. To cope with chitin resistance, fungal pathogens have developed different strategies to prevent chitin recognition, such as binding, breaking, or modifying immunogenic oligomers. In powdery mildew fungi, the activity of chitin deacetylase (CDA) is crucial for this purpose, since silencing of the gene leads to a rapid activation of chitin signalling and the subsequent suppression of fungal growth.

Chitin Deacetylase, a Novel Target for the Design of Agricultural Fungicides.

Fungicide resistance is a serious problem for agriculture. This is particularly apparent in the case of powdery mildew fungi. Therefore, there is an urgent need to develop new agrochemicals.

Gene Mining for Conserved, Non-Annotated Proteins of Identifies Novel Target Candidates for Controlling Powdery Mildews by Spray-Induced Gene Silencing.

The powdery mildew fungus is one of the most important limiting factors for cucurbit production worldwide. Despite the significant efforts made by breeding and chemical companies, effective control of this pathogen remains elusive to growers. In this work, we examined the suitability of RNAi technology called spray-induced gene silencing (SIGS) for controlling cucurbit powdery mildew.

Resistance to the SDHI Fungicides Boscalid and Fluopyram in Populations from Commercial Cucurbit Fields in Spain.

Powdery mildew is caused by , and is one of the most important diseases that attacks Spanish cucurbit crops. Fungicide application is the primary control tool; however, its effectiveness is hampered by the rapid development of resistance to these compounds. In this study, the EC values of 26 isolates were determined in response to the succinate dehydrogenase inhibitor (SDHI) fungicides boscalid and fluopyram.

A haustorial-expressed lytic polysaccharide monooxygenase from the cucurbit powdery mildew pathogen Podosphaera xanthii contributes to the suppression of chitin-triggered immunity.

Podosphaera xanthii is the main causal agent of cucurbit powdery mildew and a limiting factor of crop productivity. The lifestyle of this fungus is determined by the development of specialized parasitic structures inside epidermal cells, termed haustoria, that are responsible for the acquisition of nutrients and the release of effectors. A typical function of fungal effectors is the manipulation of host immunity, for example the suppression of pathogen-associated molecular pattern (PAMP)-triggered immunity (PTI).

A Hybrid Genome Assembly Resource for , the Main Causal Agent of Powdery Mildew Disease in Cucurbits.

is the main causal agent of powdery mildew in cucurbits and, arguably, the most important fungal pathogen of cucurbit crops. Here, we present the first reference genome assembly for . We performed a hybrid genome assembly, using reads from Illumina NextSeq550 and PacBio Sequel S3.

Fungicide Resistance in Powdery Mildew Fungi.

Powdery mildew fungi (Erysiphales) are among the most common and important plant fungal pathogens. These fungi are obligate biotrophic parasites that attack nearly 10,000 species of angiosperms, including major crops, such as cereals and grapes. Although cultural and biological practices may reduce the risk of infection by powdery mildew, they do not provide sufficient protection.

The haustorial transcriptome of the cucurbit pathogen Podosphaera xanthii reveals new insights into the biotrophy and pathogenesis of powdery mildew fungi.

Background: Podosphaera xanthii is the main causal agent of powdery mildew disease in cucurbits and is responsible for important yield losses in these crops worldwide. Powdery mildew fungi are obligate biotrophs. In these parasites, biotrophy is determined by the presence of haustoria, which are specialized structures of parasitism developed by these fungi for the acquisition of nutrients and the delivery of effectors.

RNA-seq analysis and fluorescence imaging of melon powdery mildew disease reveal an orchestrated reprogramming of host physiology.

The cucurbit powdery mildew elicited by Podosphaera xanthii is one of the most important limiting factors in cucurbit production. Our knowledge of the genetic and molecular bases underlying the physiological processes governing this disease is very limited. We used RNA-sequencing to identify differentially expressed genes in leaves of Cucumis melo upon inoculation with P.

TransFlow: a modular framework for assembling and assessing accurate de novo transcriptomes in non-model organisms.

Background: The advances in high-throughput sequencing technologies are allowing more and more de novo assembling of transcriptomes from many new organisms. Some degree of automation and evaluation is required to warrant reproducibility, repetitivity and the selection of the best possible transcriptome. Workflows and pipelines are becoming an absolute requirement for such a purpose, but the issue of assembling evaluation for de novo transcriptomes in organisms lacking a sequenced genome remains unsolved.

Impact of motility and chemotaxis features of the rhizobacterium Pseudomonas chlororaphis PCL1606 on its biocontrol of avocado white root rot.

The biocontrol rhizobacterium Pseudomonas chlororaphis PCL1606 has the ability to protect avocado plants against white root rot produced by the phytopathogenic fungus Rosellinia necatrix. Moreover, PCL1606 displayed direct interactions with avocado roots and the pathogenic fungus. Thus, nonmotile (flgK mutant) and non-chemotactic (cheA mutant) derivatives of PCL1606 were constructed to emphasize the importance of motility and chemotaxis in the biological behaviour of PCL1606 during the biocontrol interaction.