Project description:The fungus Exserohilum turcicum is the causal agent of northern corn leaf blight, a damaging maize (Zea mays) disease worldwide. Here, using an alternative splicing (AS) reporter system, we identified the secreted protein EtEC81 (Exserohilum turcicum effector 81), which modulates the AS of maize pre-mRNAs and negatively regulates the pathogenicity of E. turcicum. EtEC81 physically interacts with EtEC81-interactiNG protein 1 (ZmEIP1), which associates with maize spliceosome components, regulating AS and positively regulating the defense response against E. turcicum. EtEC81 binding further enhanced the effect of ZmEIP1 on AS.
Project description:Bipolaris zeicola is a fungal pathogen that causes Northern corn leaf spot (NCLS), which is a serious foliar disease in maize and one of the most significant pathogens affecting global food security. Here, we report a genome-wide transcriptional profile analysis using next-generation sequencing (NGS) of maize leaf development after inoculation with B. zeicola. We performed High-Throughput Digital Gene Expression analysis to identify differentially expressed genes (DEGs) in resistant inbred Mo17 lines after infection with B. zeicola at four successive disease development stages--CP (contact period), PP (penetration period), IP (incubation period), and DP (disease period); the expression of the genes was compared with those in a CK (mock-treatment) control. In addition, a sensitive maize line (Zheng58) was used for the comparisons with the Mo17. Among all tested genes, 466 differentially expressed genes were identified in all libraries, and Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes (KEGG) pathway analysis of these genes suggested that they are involved in many biological processes related to systemic symptom development, such as plant hormone signal transduction, starch and sucrose metabolism, phenylpropanoid biosynthesis and photosynthesis. Our systematic analysis provides comprehensive transcriptomic information regarding systemic symptom development in fungal-infected plants. This information will help in furthering our understanding of the detailed mechanisms of plant responses to fungal infection.
Project description:To verify the pathogenicity of Lecanicillium psalliotae invasive pathogens on tsearch leaves, Lecanicillium psalliotae was identified by isolation and purification. sweet orange leaves were infested with it. The results of the experiments showed that 15 days after Lecanicillium psalliotae infested the leaves of sweet orange, yellow spots grew around the pores and irregular yellow spots appeared on both sides of the leaf veins. This was highly similar to the disease in the field, suggesting that Lecanicillium psalliotae is the causal agent of the yellow spots on sweet orange leaves that cause the leaves to wilt and fall off. In previous studies, Verticillium cutaneum was mainly identified as a biological control agent and a suspected pathogen. In this study, the pathogenicity of Verticillium cutaneum was verified for the first time as a causal agent of leaf spot disease of plants.