Editor’s Pick

NX Trichothecenes Are Required for Fusarium graminearum Infection of Wheat​

While the mycotoxin deoxynivalenol was previously shown to be a major virulence factor for Fusarium graminearum on wheat, the more recently discovered NX trichothecenes have not been characterized for their role in virulence. Guixia Hao and colleagues evaluated the role of NX trichothecenes in virulence using TRI5 gene disruptions that eliminated trichothecene biosynthesis during F. graminearum infection of wheat heads to show that the reduction in NX trichothecenes decreased both the initial infection of the wheat head and the subsequent spread compared to the wild-type strains. This work provides novel information on the mode of action of a new class of trichothecenes and exposes the TRI5 gene as a promising target for controlling Fusarium head blight of both wheat and barley.​

Arabidopsis Dynamin-Related Protein AtDRP2A Contributes to Late Flg22-Signaling and Effective Immunity Against Pseudomonas syringae Bacteria

Arabidopsis thaliana encodes two paralogs of the endocytic accessory protein DRP2. Gayani Enkanayake and colleagues further defined the functions of these two paralogs using the FLS2-flg22 system. Loss of AtDRP2A led to increased susceptibility to Pseudomonas syringae, and the effects resulting from the loss of AtDRP2A were distinct from the effects caused by the loss of AtDRP2B—with DRP2A being important for late flg22-mediated responses but not early responses, unlike DRP2B. This finding provides a new tool for investigating ligand-induced endocytosis of receptors in immunity.

The Potyviral Protein 6K2 from Turnip Mosaic Virus Increases Plant Resilience to Drought

Ved Prakash and colleagues demonstrated that Turnip mosaic virus (TuMV) can positively impact host plants by increasing plant survival under drought conditions. Their results show that at least three viral proteins contribute to enhanced drought tolerance in TuMV-infected Arabidopsis thaliana, with one of these proteins also conveying drought tolerance when expressed in Nicotiana benthamiana. This protein enhanced salicylic acid accumulation in both A. thaliana and N. benthamiana, demonstrating an ecological function in the plant during drought conditions.

On May 9, 2023, Janak Joshi, Amy Charkowski, and Adam Heuberger presented their MPMI Editor's Pick, "Protease Inhibitors from Solanum chacoense Inhibit Pectobacterium Virulence by Reducing Bacterial Protease Activity and Motility."

Watch the recorded presentation to learn more about proteomics, wild potato disease resistance, and the potential for protecting cultivated potatoes in the field. Watch now.

View all virtual seminars.​