The Nuclear Effector MiEFF1 Interacts With Cytosolic Glyceraldehyde-3-Phosphate Dehydrogenases to Promote Parasitism.

Root-knot nematodes are obligate endoparasites that maintain a biotrophic relationship with their hosts over a period of several weeks. They induce the differentiation of root cells into specialized multinucleate hypertrophied feeding cells known as giant cells. Nematode effectors synthesized in the esophageal glands and injected into the plant tissue through the syringe-like stylet play a key role in giant cell ontogenesis.

Chemokine-like MDL proteins modulate flowering time and innate immunity in plants.

Human macrophage migration inhibitory factor (MIF) is an atypical chemokine implicated in intercellular signaling and innate immunity. MIF orthologs (MIF/D-DT-like proteins, MDLs) are present throughout the plant kingdom, but remain experimentally unexplored in these organisms. Here, we provide an in planta characterization and functional analysis of the three-member gene/protein MDL family in Arabidopsis thaliana.

A wheat cysteine-rich receptor-like kinase confers broad-spectrum resistance against Septoria tritici blotch.

The poverty of disease resistance gene reservoirs limits the breeding of crops for durable resistance against evolutionary dynamic pathogens. Zymoseptoria tritici which causes Septoria tritici blotch (STB), represents one of the most genetically diverse and devastating wheat pathogens worldwide. No fully virulent Z.

Atypical Membrane-Anchored Cytokine MIF in a Marine Dinoflagellate.

Macrophage Migration Inhibitory Factors (MIF) are pivotal cytokines/chemokines for vertebrate immune systems. MIFs are typically soluble single-domain proteins that are conserved across plant, fungal, protist, and metazoan kingdoms, but their functions have not been determined in most phylogenetic groups. Here, we describe an atypical multidomain MIF protein.

RNA-based technologies for insect control in plant production.

RNA interference (RNAi) is a biological process in which small RNA (sRNA) molecules sequence-specifically silence gene expression at the transcriptional or post-transcriptional level, either by directing inhibitory chromatin modifications or by decreasing the stability or translation potential of the targeted mRNA. The trigger for gene silencing is double-stranded RNA (dsRNA) generated from an endogenous genomic locus or a foreign source, such as a transgene or virus. The process of gene silencing can be exploited in agriculture to control plant diseases and pests.

Cross-Kingdom Analysis of Diversity, Evolutionary History, and Site Selection within the Eukaryotic Macrophage Migration Inhibitory Factor Superfamily.

Macrophage migration inhibitory factors (MIF) are multifunctional proteins regulating major processes in mammals, including activation of innate immune responses. MIF proteins also play a role in innate immunity of invertebrate organisms or serve as virulence factors in parasitic organisms, raising the question of their evolutionary history. We performed a broad survey of MIF presence or absence and evolutionary relationships across 803 species of plants, fungi, protists, and animals, and explored a potential relation with the taxonomic status, the ecology, and the lifestyle of individual species.

The Polycomb protein LHP1 regulates Arabidopsis thaliana stress responses through the repression of the MYC2-dependent branch of immunity.

Polycomb repressive complexes (PRCs) have been traditionally associated with the regulation of developmental processes in various organisms, including higher plants. However, similar to other epigenetic regulators, there is accumulating evidence for their role in the regulation of stress and immune-related pathways. In the current study we show that the PRC1 protein LHP1 is required for the repression of the MYC2 branch of jasmonic acid (JA)/ethylene (ET) pathway of immunity.

Hybridization (ISH) in Preparasitic and Parasitic Stages of the Plant-parasitic Nematode spp.

The spatio-temporal expression pattern of a gene provides important indications to better understand its biological function. hybridization (ISH) uses a labeled complementary single-stranded RNA or DNA probe to localize gene transcripts in a whole organism, a whole organ or a section of tissue. We adapted the ISH technique to the plant parasite spp.

Characterization of Arabidopsis Transcriptional Responses to Different Aphid Species Reveals Genes that Contribute to Host Susceptibility and Non-host Resistance.

Aphids are economically important pests that display exceptional variation in host range. The determinants of diverse aphid host ranges are not well understood, but it is likely that molecular interactions are involved. With significant progress being made towards understanding host responses upon aphid attack, the mechanisms underlying non-host resistance remain to be elucidated.

Plant immunity in plant-aphid interactions.

Aphids are economically important pests that cause extensive feeding damage and transmit viruses. While some species have a broad host range and cause damage to a variety of crops, others are restricted to only closely related plant species. While probing and feeding aphids secrete saliva, containing effectors, into their hosts to manipulate host cell processes and promote infestation.

Effectors of root sedentary nematodes target diverse plant cell compartments to manipulate plant functions and promote infection.

Sedentary plant-parasitic nematodes maintain a biotrophic relationship with their hosts over a period of several weeks and induce the differentiation of root cells into specialized feeding cells. Nematode effectors, which are synthesized in the esophageal glands and injected into the plant tissue through the syringe-like stylet, play a central role in these processes. Previous work on nematode effectors has shown that the apoplasm is targeted during invasion of the host while the cytoplasm is targeted during the induction and the maintenance of the feeding site.

A root-knot nematode-secreted protein is injected into giant cells and targeted to the nuclei.

Root-knot nematodes (RKNs) are obligate endoparasites that maintain a biotrophic relationship with their hosts over a period of several weeks and induce the differentiation of root cells into specialized feeding cells. Nematode effectors synthesized in the oesophageal glands and injected into the plant tissue through the syringe-like stylet certainly play a central role in these processes. In a search for nematode effectors, we used comparative genomics on expressed sequence tag (EST) datasets to identify Meloidogyne incognita genes encoding proteins potentially secreted upon the early steps of infection.

siRNAs Trigger Efficient Silencing of a Parasitism Gene in Plant Parasitic Root-Knot Nematodes.

Expanding genomic data on plant pathogens open new perspectives for the development of specific and environment friendly pest management strategies based on the inhibition of parasitism genes that are essential for the success of infection. Identifying such genes relies on accurate reverse genetics tools and the screening of pathogen knock-down phenotypes. Root-knot nematodes are major cosmopolitan crop pests that feed on a wide range of host plants.

Peroxiredoxins from the plant parasitic root-knot nematode, Meloidogyne incognita, are required for successful development within the host.

Root-knot nematodes, Meloidogyne spp., are sedentary biotrophic parasites which are able to infest > 2000 plant species. After root invasion they settle sedentarily inside the vascular cylinder and maintain a compatible interaction for up to 8 weeks.