Plant parasitic cyst nematodes redirect host indole metabolism via NADPH oxidase-mediated ROS to promote infection.

Reactive oxygen species (ROS) generated in response to infections often activate immune responses in eukaryotes including plants. In plants, ROS are primarily produced by plasma membrane-bound NADPH oxidases called respiratory burst oxidase homologue (Rboh). Surprisingly, Rbohs can also promote the infection of plants by certain pathogens, including plant parasitic cyst nematodes. The Arabidopsis genome contains 10 Rboh genes (RbohA-RbohJ). Previously, we showed that cyst nematode infection causes a localised ROS burst in roots, mediated primarily by RbohD and RbohF. We also found that plants deficient in RbohD and RbohF (rbohD/F) exhibit strongly decreased susceptibility to cyst nematodes, suggesting that Rboh-mediated ROS plays a role in promoting infection. However, little information is known of the mechanism by which Rbohs promote cyst nematode infection. Here, using detailed genetic and biochemical analyses, we identified WALLS ARE THIN1 (WAT1), an auxin transporter, as a downstream target of Rboh-mediated ROS during parasitic infections. We found that WAT1 is required to modulate the host's indole metabolism, including indole-3-acetic acid levels, in infected cells and that this reprogramming is necessary for successful establishment of the parasite. In conclusion, this work clarifies a unique mechanism that enables cyst nematodes to use the host's ROS for their own benefit.