The Antifungal Protein -AfpA Has Activity against Numerous Plant Pathogens.

Fungal plant pathogens can present major problems for most crop species. Currently, control of fungal diseases relies heavily on the use of fungicides. However, there are problems associated with fungicide use, including potential toxicity to non-target organisms and the development of resistance in the target fungus.

The Antifungal Protein -AfpA Protects Creeping Bentgrass () from the Plant Pathogen , the Causal Agent of Dollar Spot Disease.

Dollar spot disease, caused by the fungal pathogen Clarireedia jacksonii, is a major problem in many turfgrass species, particularly creeping bentgrass (Agrostis stolonifera). It is well-established that strong creeping red fescue (Festuca rubra subsp. rubra) exhibits good dollar spot resistance when infected by the fungal endophyte Epichloë festucae.

The Antifungal Protein -AfpA Is also a Possible Effector Protein Required for the Interaction of the Fungus with Its Host Grass subsp. .

Strong creeping red fescue ( subsp. ) is a commercially important low-maintenance turfgrass and is often naturally infected with the fungal endophyte . spp.

Transcriptome Analysis of Choke Stroma and Asymptomatic Inflorescence Tissues Reveals Changes in Gene Expression in Both and Its Host Plant subsp. .

Many cool-season grasses have symbiotic relationships with (Ascomycota, Clavicipitaceae) fungal endophytes that inhabit the intercellular spaces of the above-ground parts of the host plants. The presence of the endophytes is generally beneficial to the hosts due to enhanced tolerance to biotic and abiotic stresses conferred by the endophytes. Many spp.

Tricin levels and expression of flavonoid biosynthetic genes in developing grains of purple and brown pericarp rice.

The methylated flavone tricin has been associated with numerous health benefits, including reductions in intestinal and colon cancers in animal models. Tricin is found in a wide range of plant species and in many different tissues. However, whole cereal grains, such as rice, barley, oats, and wheat, are the only food sources of tricin, which is located in the bran portion of the grain.

Identification of the fungal endophyte of (American beachgrass) as .

The grass (American beachgrass) is known to host an endophyte of the genus . Based on morphological characteristics it was originally identified as var. and is currently designated as var.

The Epichloë festucae antifungal protein has activity against the plant pathogen Sclerotinia homoeocarpa, the causal agent of dollar spot disease.

Epichloë spp. are naturally occurring fungal endophytic symbionts of many cool-season grasses. Infection by the fungal endophytes often confers biotic and abiotic stress tolerance to their hosts.

A re-evaluation of the final step of vanillin biosynthesis in the orchid Vanilla planifolia.

A recent publication describes an enzyme from the vanilla orchid Vanilla planifolia with the ability to convert ferulic acid directly to vanillin. The authors propose that this represents the final step in the biosynthesis of vanillin, which is then converted to its storage form, glucovanillin, by glycosylation. The existence of such a "vanillin synthase" could enable biotechnological production of vanillin from ferulic acid using a "natural" vanilla enzyme.

Candidate genes and molecular markers associated with heat tolerance in colonial Bentgrass.

Elevated temperature is a major abiotic stress limiting the growth of cool-season grasses during the summer months. The objectives of this study were to determine the genetic variation in the expression patterns of selected genes involved in several major metabolic pathways regulating heat tolerance for two genotypes contrasting in heat tolerance to confirm their status as potential candidate genes, and to identify PCR-based markers associated with candidate genes related to heat tolerance in a colonial (Agrostis capillaris L.) x creeping bentgrass (Agrostis stolonifera L.

Functional characterization of salicylate hydroxylase from the fungal endophyte Epichloë festucae.

Epichloë spp. are symbiotic fungal endophytes of many cool season grasses. The presence of the fungal endophytes often confers insect, drought, and disease tolerance to the host grasses.

A deep transcriptomic analysis of pod development in the vanilla orchid (Vanilla planifolia).

Background: Pods of the vanilla orchid (Vanilla planifolia) accumulate large amounts of the flavor compound vanillin (3-methoxy, 4-hydroxy-benzaldehyde) as a glucoside during the later stages of their development. At earlier stages, the developing seeds within the pod synthesize a novel lignin polymer, catechyl (C) lignin, in their coats. Genomic resources for determining the biosynthetic routes to these compounds and other flavor components in V.

Occurrence of Bacillus amyloliquefaciens as a systemic endophyte of vanilla orchids.

We report the occurrence of Bacillus amyloliquefaciens in vanilla orchids (Vanilla phaeantha) and cultivated hybrid vanilla (V. planifolia × V. pompona) as a systemic bacterial endophyte.

Horizontal gene transfer of a bacterial insect toxin gene into the Epichloë fungal symbionts of grasses.

Horizontal gene transfer is recognized as an important factor in genome evolution, particularly when the newly acquired gene confers a new capability to the recipient species. We identified a gene similar to the makes caterpillars floppy (mcf1 and mcf2) insect toxin genes in Photorhabdus, bacterial symbionts of nematodes, in the genomes of the Epichloë fungi, which are intercellular symbionts of grasses. Infection by Epichloë spp.

SOLiD-SAGE of endophyte-infected red fescue reveals numerous effects on host transcriptome and an abundance of highly expressed fungal secreted proteins.

One of the most important plant-fungal symbiotic relationships is that of cool season grasses with endophytic fungi of the genera Epichloë and Neotyphodium. These associations often confer benefits, such as resistance to herbivores and improved drought tolerance, to the hosts. One benefit that appears to be unique to fine fescue grasses is disease resistance.

Functional characterization of two new members of the caffeoyl CoA O-methyltransferase-like gene family from Vanilla planifolia reveals a new class of plastid-localized O-methyltransferases.

Caffeoyl CoA O-methyltransferases (OMTs) have been characterized from numerous plant species and have been demonstrated to be involved in lignin biosynthesis. Higher plant species are known to have additional caffeoyl CoA OMT-like genes, which have not been well characterized. Here, we identified two new caffeoyl CoA OMT-like genes by screening a cDNA library from specialized hair cells of pods of the orchid Vanilla planifolia.

Identification of heat stress-responsive genes in heat-adapted thermal Agrostis scabra by suppression subtractive hybridization.

To gain insights into molecular mechanisms of grass tolerance to heat stress, we constructed a suppression subtractive cDNA library to identify heat-responsive genes for a C(3) grass species, thermal Agrostis scabra adapted to heat stress in geothermal areas in Yellowstone National Park. Plants were exposed to 20 degrees C (control) or 35 degrees C for 12d. The SSH analysis was performed with control samples as the driver and heat-stressed samples as the tester.

Identification and characterization of an expansin gene AsEXP1 associated with heat tolerance in C3 Agrostis grass species.

Plant tolerance of heat stress involves various changes at physiological and molecular levels. The objective of this study was to examine the expression of a gene encoding expansin protein in relation to heat tolerance in two C(3) grass species and genotypes differing in heat tolerance. Heat-tolerant, thermal Agrostis scabra, adapted to high temperatures in geothermal areas in Yellowstone National Park, was subjected to 20 degrees C (control) or 40 degrees C (heat stress) for 7 d in a growth chamber.

Analysis of EST sequences suggests recent origin of allotetraploid colonial and creeping bentgrasses.

Advances in plant genomics have permitted the analysis of several members of the grass family, including the major domesticated species, and provided new insights into the evolution of the major crops on earth. Two members, colonial bentgrass (Agrostis capillaris L.) and creeping bentgrass (A.

Evolution of novel O-methyltransferases from the Vanilla planifolia caffeic acid O-methyltransferase.

The biosynthesis of many plant secondary compounds involves the methylation of one or more hydroxyl groups, catalyzed by O-methyltransferases (OMTs). Here, we report the characterization of two OMTs, Van OMT-2 and Van OMT-3, from the orchid Vanilla planifolia Andrews. These enzymes catalyze the methylation of a single outer hydroxyl group in substrates possessing a 1,2,3-trihydroxybenzene moiety, such as methyl gallate and myricetin.

Identification of a gene in the process of being lost from the genus Agrostis.

Lineage-specific gene loss is considered one of the processes contributing to speciation and genome diversity. Such gene loss has been inferred from interspecies comparisons of orthologous DNA segments. Examples of intraspecific gene loss are rare.

Fungal endophyte N-acetylglucosaminidase expression in the infected host grass.

Fungal endophytes of the genera Neotyphodium and Epichlolë are important mutualistic symbionts and pathogens of many cool-season grass species. Here we report the characterization of a secreted N-acetylglucosaminidase from the Neotyphodium sp. endophyte that infects the grass Poa ampla.

Expression of a novel chitinase by the fungal endophyte in Poa ampla.

Many wild and cultivated cool-season grass species are naturally infected with fungal endophytes of the genera Neotyphodium and Epichloë. These associations generally are considered mutualistic with the plants benefiting from reduced herbivory and the fungi benefiting from nutrients supplied by the plants. The fungi secrete proteins that might have a role in the interspecies symbiosis.

Endophytic fungal beta-1,6-glucanase expression in the infected host grass.

Mutualistic fungal endophytes infect many grass species and often confer benefits to the hosts such as reduced herbivory by insects and animals. The physiological interactions between the endophytes and their hosts have not been well characterized. Fungal-secreted proteins are likely to be important components of the interaction.