Researchers at FABI define a conserved subset of Phytophthora RxLR effectors with short linear motifs embedded within folded WY domain cores. This arrangement preserves domain integrity while enabling potential interactions with host immune components, reframing pathogen strategies and challenging SLiM dogma.
Researchers have discovered a new source of resistance to the devastating wheat blast disease, leveraging a gene that also protects against powdery mildew. The Pm4 gene, found in European wheat varieties, confers dual protection against the pathogen and its effector molecule AVR-Rmg8.
Researchers have identified 31 effector genes from the fungus Ceratocystis fimbriata, which causes devastating black rot in sweetpotatoes. This breakthrough provides a new approach to developing disease-resistant crops using effector-assisted breeding.
Researchers at the University of Toronto and Sinai Health have created a new platform to identify proteins that can be co-opted to control the stability of other proteins. The study identified over 600 new effector proteins that could be used therapeutically, including those that can efficiently degrade or stabilize target proteins.
A new study at the Hebrew University of Jerusalem sheds light on the role of effector AopW1 in host adaptation, providing new perspectives on bacterial fruit blotch. The research highlights differences between strains of Acidovorax citrulli and their impact on melon and watermelon crops.
A recent study has provided significant genomic insight into tar spot of corn, a destructive disease causing $1.2 billion in yield loss. The researchers identified over 100 novel effectors that play a crucial role during infection, warranting further investigation.
Researchers have identified an essential stage in the takeover of rice cells by a fungus, which could accelerate treatment or prevention of rice blast disease. The discovery involves a modification in tRNA molecules that aid in protein construction, and its absence leads to reduced virulence.
Researchers investigate how bacteria modify host RNA using effector proteins to ensure their survival, a process previously unknown in eukaryotes. The team aims to decipher the mechanisms behind this process and its benefits for the bacteria.
A recent study has shown that the mutual symbiosis between bacteria and fungi can be fragile, as a specific protein maintains the balance. When this protein is absent, the bacteria are trapped within fungal hyphae and die.
Researchers identified four fungal proteins responsible for suppressing host plant immunity in infectious diseases, leading to distinct host specificity in over 70% of plant diseases. Understanding the mechanism of this specificity may lead to new crop protection technologies.
A study characterizes secreted proteins from Candidatus Liberibacter solanacearum, a newly emerging pathogen of tomato and potato. The proteins, called effectors, offer clues into the manipulation tactics used by the bacterium to subdue its plant host.
The Ustilago maydis effector Rip1 targets and binds Zmlox3, a maize gene from the lipoxygenase family, to suppress PTI and reduce susceptibility to fungal infection. This action leads to reduced ROS-burst formation in infected plant cells, highlighting the complex co-evolutionary forces between host and pathogen.
Researchers discovered that bacterial virulence factor WtsE initiates mobilization of nutrients and water into spaces where the bacteria reside in infected maize plants. This process precedes death of plant cells and could inform future breeding practices to resist devastating corn diseases.
Researchers have gained a deeper understanding of how bacteria use the type VI secretion system to develop toxins for battle. The discovery reveals that toxins are encapsulated in a capsule secured by a cork-like plug, which can be released upon mechanical force.
Scientists at UC Berkeley developed a new structure prediction method that modeled 500 secreted proteins in fungal pathogen Magnaporthe oryzae. The method revealed novel sequence-unrelated effectors and common folds among plant pathogens.
A group of corn smut proteins, known as the Pleiades, launch a battle against maize immunity by targeting key defense mechanisms. The study reveals that eight of the ten Pleiades inhibit reactive oxygen species production, while two others promote flowering by dampening immunity.
A complex of seven proteins is essential for Ustilago maydis to infect its host plant maize. The discovery could lead to developing new fungicides and understanding how effectors function in biotrophic fungi.
Stanford researchers developed a novel technique attaching nanobodies to CRISPR for targeted gene control. This combo enables precise on/off switching of specific genes, potentially correcting epigenetic defects without combining large effectors.
A team of biologists discovered that phytoplasma effector proteins interact with specific molecules in plant hosts, causing developmental abnormalities and devastating changes. The research found that the effector proteins adopt a structure similar to their target host molecules, allowing them to bind and cause harm.
Researchers discovered that plant pathogens like Phytophthora infestans reorder the physical structures of effectors to escape plant recognition. This allows them to persist in plants and evade integrated resistance strategies.
Researchers found that multiple variants of the same resistance gene can bind dissimilar pathogen proteins in distantly related plant species, enabling direct recognition of disease-causing fungi. This discovery has significant implications for generating disease-resistant crops and could lead to rationally designed synthetic receptors.
Researchers have identified two small-molecule experimental inhibitors that target the influenza protein NS1, which plays a crucial role in blocking the body's immune response. The study's findings provide strong evidence for the mechanism of action of these compounds and offer significant structural insights into NS1.
Researchers discovered that a few changes in the genome are sufficient to turn a fungal plant pathogen into a potentially beneficial organism. The beneficial fungus has gained new genes and lost others, leading to reduced effector proteins needed to suppress the plant's immune system.
A team of researchers led by UC Riverside scientist Wenbo Ma has received a $4 million grant to study the citrus greening disease and develop resistant varieties. They will use CRISPR-based genome editing to modify native citrus genes and investigate public acceptance of genome-edited crops.
Researchers at EPFL have discovered how a major effector protein regulates gene expression by speeding up its search for chromatin binding sites. By increasing its binding rate and forming dimers to maximize interaction with chromatin, HP1α enhances gene regulation efficiency.
A UC Riverside team discovered a novel 'virulence mechanism' of Botrytis cinerea, a fungal pathogen that can infect over 200 plant species. The pathogen delivers RNA effectors into host cells to suppress immunity and cause infection.
Researchers have shed light on how the rice blast fungus invades plant tissue by evolving two distinct secretion systems. Understanding this process is crucial in controlling the disease and will help prove pivotal in blast disease control.
A team of researchers at the University of California, Riverside, has discovered a genetic mechanism that explains how Phytophthora pathogens compromised the potato plant's immune system during the Irish Famine. The study reveals that RNA silencing pathways are suppressed by effectors, leading to an increase in susceptibility to disease.
A MU researcher is working on a project to protect soybeans from nematode parasites, which cause significant crop losses in the US. The goal is to develop genetically modified soybean plants with enhanced resistance to these pests.
Researchers have built upon the 2009 discovery of TAL effector proteins, which enable targeted gene manipulation, leading to breakthroughs in understanding gene function and improving traits in livestock and plants. The technology has also been successfully used in model organisms such as yeast, zebrafish, and human stem cells.
A team of researchers, led by Iowa State University's Adam Bogdanove, has made a groundbreaking discovery about the molecular basis of bacterial diseases in plants. They found that specific proteins bind to host DNA molecules at predictable locations, activating targeted genes.
A research team has identified a massive superfamily of genes in plant pathogens that manipulate plant cells to facilitate infection. This discovery could lead to new strategies for protecting crops from devastating diseases.
Yersinia pathogen uses effector protein YpkA to target Gaq, a messenger protein that transmits alarm signals into the host cell. This study identifies a novel molecular target for preventing disease and fighting antibiotic-resistant strains.