Project description:As the phyllosphere is a resource-limited niche, microbes have evolved different survival strategies by collaborating or competing with other organisms. This leads to the establishment of network structures which are stabilised by so-called microbial hub organisms. An already identified hub in the Arabidopsis thaliana phyllosphere is the oomycete pathogen Albugo laibachii. From wild Arabidopsis plants with white rust symptoms we isolated the basidiomycete yeast Moesziomyces albugensis, which is closely related to plant pathogenic smut fungi. It suppresses the infection of A. laibachii in lab experiments and inhibits growth of several bacterial phyllosphere members. The transcriptomic response of M. albugensis to presence of A. laibachii and bacterial SynCom members was investigated by using RNA sequencing. Interestingly, several genes encoding secretory proteins, mostly glycoside hydrolases and peptidases, are particularly induced upon interaction with A. laibachii.
Project description:Infection by Albugo species, resulting in white rust disease, suppresses host plant immunity, and can even enable Albugo laibachii-infected Arabidopsis to support growth and reproduction of the non-host potato late blight pathogen Phytophthora infestans. However, the mechanisms involved in non-host resistance remain to be elucidated. Here, we investigate specific host defense mechanisms that are suppressed by A. laibachii and A. candida infection, and compare the resistance contributed by indole glucosinolates and camalexin to that resulting from other components of defense induced by salicylic acid. We conclude a broad repertoire of host defense components contributes to non-host resistance in Arabidopsis to P. infestans, with a particular role for tryptophan-derived anti-microbial metabolites. Identifying the mechanisms involved in non-host resistance to pathogens such as P. infestans is necessary in the development of strategies to ensure future food security.
