A comparison between the function of Serendipita indica and Sinorhizobium meliloti in modulating the toxicity of zinc oxide nanoparticles in alfalfa (Medicago sativa L.).

Zinc oxide nanoparticles (ZnO-NPs) are among the most commonly used nano-fertilizers (NF). However, elevated levels of ZnO-NPs in soil may affect plant growth and development due to its potential toxicity when accumulated in large amounts in plant tissues. This research was conducted using an in situ rhizobox system with the aims of evaluating zinc uptake from nano-zinc oxide amended rhizosphere soil by alfalfa plant and the effect of plant growth-promoting microorganisms on alleviating the phytotoxicity of ZnO-NPs.

Renewed interests in the discovery of bioactive actinomycete metabolites driven by emerging technologies.

Actinomycetes are prolific sources of bioactive molecules. Traditional workflows including bacterial isolation, fermentation, metabolite identification and structure elucidation have resulted in high rates of natural product rediscovery in recent years. Recent advancements in multi-omics techniques have uncovered cryptic gene clusters within the genomes of actinomycetes, potentially introducing vast resources for the investigation of bioactive molecules.

An Efficient -Based Gene Silencing Protocol for Hexaploid Wheat ( L.).

Virus-induced gene silencing (VIGS) is a rapid and powerful method to evaluate gene function, especially for species like hexaploid wheat that have large, redundant genomes and are difficult and time-consuming to transform. The (BMV)-based VIGS vector is widely used in monocotyledonous species but not wheat. Here we report the establishment of a simple and effective VIGS procedure in bread wheat using BMVCP5, the most recently improved BMV silencing vector, and wheat genes () and () as targets.

Combination of Siderophore-Producing Bacteria and Piriformospora indica Provides an Efficient Approach to Improve Cadmium Tolerance in Alfalfa.

Application of siderophore-producing microorganisms (SPMs), as an environmentally friendly approach, facilitates plant growth and survival under heavy metals toxicity. This study evaluated the effectiveness of SPMs, belonging to the bacterial genera Rhizobium and Pseudomonas and a root endophytic fungus (Piriformospora indica) to improve the fitness of alfalfa under cadmium (Cd) stress. A greenhouse experiment was performed as a randomized design with factorial arrangement of treatments.

Plant-Microbe Symbiosis: What Has Proteomics Taught Us?

Beneficial microbes have a positive impact on the productivity and fitness of the host plant. A better understanding of the biological impacts and underlying mechanisms by which the host derives these benefits will help to address concerns around global food production and security. The recent development of omics-based technologies has broadened our understanding of the molecular aspects of beneficial plant-microbe symbiosis.

Salinity-associated microRNAs and their potential roles in mediating salt tolerance in rice colonized by the endophytic root fungus Piriformospora indica.

Piriformospora indica (P. indica), an endophytic root fungus, supports the growth and enhanced tolerance of plants to biotic and abiotic stresses. Several recent studies showed the significant role of small RNA (sRNA) molecules including microRNAs (miRNAs) in plant adaption to environmental stress, but little is known concerning the symbiosis-mediated salt stress tolerance regulated at miRNAs level.

The AC4 Protein of a Cassava Geminivirus Is Required for Virus Infection.

Geminiviruses (family ) are among the most devastating plant viruses worldwide, causing severe damage in crops of economic and subsistence importance. These viruses have very compact genomes and many of the encoded proteins are multifunctional. Here, we investigated the role of the East African cassava mosaic Cameroon virus (EACMCV) AC4 on virus infectivity in .

Complete genome sequence of a new bipartite begomovirus infecting fluted pumpkin (Telfairia occidentalis) plants in Cameroon.

The complete genome sequence was determined and characterized for a previously unreported bipartite begomovirus from fluted pumpkin (Telfairia occidentalis, family Cucurbitaceae) plants displaying mosaic symptoms in Cameroon. The DNA-A and DNA-B components were ~2.7 kb and ~2.

Complete genome sequence of a new bipartite begomovirus infecting cotton in the Republic of Benin in West Africa.

Here, we report the complete genome sequence of a novel bipartite begomovirus isolated from cotton plants (Gossypium raimondii, Malvaceae) exhibiting light yellow mosaic symptoms. The genome sequence was determined by Illumina DNA sequencing and confirmed by Sanger sequencing of RCA-enriched, cloned circular genomic components. The DNA-A and DNA-B components were each ~2.

Metabolic and transcriptional response of central metabolism affected by root endophytic fungus Piriformospora indica under salinity in barley.

The root endophytic fungus Piriformospora indica enhances plant adaptation to environmental stress based on general and non-specific plant species mechanisms. In the present study, we integrated the ionomics, metabolomics, and transcriptomics data to identify the genes and metabolic regulatory networks conferring salt tolerance in P. indica-colonized barley plants.

High-resolution identification and abundance profiling of cassava (Manihot esculenta Crantz) microRNAs.

Background: Small RNAs (sRNAs) are endogenous sRNAs that play regulatory roles in plant growth, development, and biotic and abiotic stress responses. In plants, one subset of sRNAs, microRNAs (miRNAs) exhibit tissue-differential expression and regulate gene expression mainly through direct cleavage of mRNA or indirectly via production of secondary phased siRNAs (phasiRNAs) that silence cognate target transcripts in trans.

Results: Here, we have identified cassava (Manihot esculenta Crantz) miRNAs using high resolution sequencing of sRNA libraries from leaf, stem, callus, male and female flower tissues.

Somatic embryogenesis and plant regeneration of cassava (Manihot esculenta Crantz) landraces from Cameroon.

A procedure to regenerate cassava (Manihot esculenta Crantz) cultivars from Cameroon via somatic embryogenesis (SE) was developed. Shoot apical meristems and immature leaf lobes were used as explants on Murashige and Skoog (MS) basal medium containing 33 or 50 µM of the auxins Picloram (Pic), 2,4-Dichlorophenoxyacetic acid (2,4-D), Dicamba (Dic), and α-Naphthalene acetic acid. Cultivar performance was assessed using SE and number of somatic embryos produced.

Proteomics study reveals the molecular mechanisms underlying water stress tolerance induced by Piriformospora indica in barley.

Unlabelled: Piriformospora indica is a mutualistic root endophytic fungus, which transfers several benefits to hosts including enhance plant growth and increase yield under both normal and stress conditions. It has been shown that P. indica root-colonization enhances water stress tolerance based on general and non-specific plant-species mechanism.

A proteomics approach to study the molecular basis of enhanced salt tolerance in barley (Hordeum vulgare L.) conferred by the root mutualistic fungus Piriformospora indica.

Piriformospora indica is a root-interacting mutualistic fungus capable of enhancing plant growth, increasing plant resistance to a wide variety of pathogens, and improving plant stress tolerance under extreme environmental conditions. Understanding the molecular mechanisms by which P. indica can improve plant tolerance to stresses will pave the way to identifying the major mechanisms underlying plant adaptability to environmental stresses.

Ethylene in mutualistic symbioses.

Ethylene (ET) is a gaseous phytohormone that participates in various plant physiological processes and essentially contributes to plant immunity. ET conducts its functions by regulating the expression of ET-responsive genes or in crosstalk with other hormones. Several recent studies have shown the significance of ET in the establishment and development of plant-microbe interactions.

Ethylene supports colonization of plant roots by the mutualistic fungus Piriformospora indica.

The mutualistic basidiomycete Piriformospora indica colonizes roots of mono- and dicotyledonous plants, and thereby improves plant health and yield. Given the capability of P. indica to colonize a broad range of hosts, it must be anticipated that the fungus has evolved efficient strategies to overcome plant immunity and to establish a proper environment for nutrient acquisition and reproduction.

Root cell death and systemic effects of Piriformospora indica: a study on mutualism.

The root systems of most terrestrial plants are confronted with a huge variety of invasive microorganisms that either can cause detrimental effects or in case of mutualistic symbiosis provide benefits for the host. In either case, establishment of the parasitic or mutualistic interaction is the result of a highly sophisticated cross-talk between the partners. Despite the ecological importance of mutualistic symbioses, the molecular events accompanied by this phenomenon are far from being understood.