Extracellular Self- and Non-Self DNA Involved in Damage Recognition in the Mistletoe Parasitism of Mesquite Trees.

parasitizes mesquite trees through a specialized structure called a haustorium, which, in the intrusive process, can cause cellular damage in the host tree and release DAMPs, such as ATP, sugars, RNA, and DNA. These are highly conserved molecules that primarily function as signals that trigger and activate the defense responses. In the present study, we generate extracellular DNA (exDNA) from mesquite () tree leaves (self-exDNA) and (non-self exDNA) mistletoe as DAMP sources to examine mesquite trees' capacity to identify specific self or non-self exDNA.