pathogenicity – Page 3

Pomegranate Woody Mycobiota Associated with Wood Decay

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Pomegranate trees in Italy are suffering from a wood disease that causes cankers and browning of the wood, leading to plant death and crop loss. Researchers identified multiple fungal species responsible for this disease, with Neofusicoccum parvum and Diaporthe species being the main culprits. Cold winter temperatures appear to weaken trees, making them susceptible to these fungal infections. Using advanced DNA analysis along with traditional methods, scientists confirmed which fungi cause the most damage and how the disease develops.

Editorial: Fungal virulence

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Fungal infections are becoming more dangerous and common worldwide, especially as climate change warms the planet. Scientists are studying how fungi develop the ability to cause disease, focusing on features like their stickiness to human tissues and ability to form protective biofilms. Recent research shows that specific proteins and growth conditions affect how dangerous different fungi are and how our immune system responds to them. Understanding these mechanisms could help doctors develop better treatments and vaccines against fungal infections.

Population structure in a fungal human pathogen is potentially linked to pathogenicity

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A. flavus is a common fungal pathogen that causes serious infections in humans and damages crops. Researchers analyzed DNA from hundreds of fungal samples collected from both infected patients and environmental sources. They found that clinical isolates cluster into specific genetic groups, especially a newly identified group called population D that contains most of the disease-causing strains. This suggests that certain genetic variations make some fungal strains more likely to infect humans than others.

Toxicity Assay and Pathogenic Process Analysis of Clonostachys rogersoniana Infecting Cephalcia chuxiongica

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A destructive pine forest pest called Cephalcia chuxiongica causes significant damage to forests in China. Researchers discovered that a fungus called Clonostachys rogersoniana can effectively kill this pest by uniquely infecting it through breathing holes called spiracles. This fungus-based biological control offers an environmentally friendly alternative to chemical pesticides, potentially protecting China’s forests while reducing chemical pollution.

First Report of Colletotrichum kahawae Causing Anthracnose on Buckwheat (Fagopyrum tataricum) in China and Biological Characterization of the Pathogen

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Researchers in China discovered that a fungus called Colletotrichum kahawae is causing a serious disease called anthracnose on buckwheat crops in Yunnan Province. This is the first time this particular fungus has been found on buckwheat, though it’s already known for causing disease on coffee plants worldwide. The scientists characterized how this fungus grows best under certain conditions and tested whether it could infect other important crops like corn, wheat, and potatoes, finding it could potentially harm these crops too.

Whole-genome sequencing of global forest pathogen Diplodia sapinea causing pine shoot blight

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This study presents a detailed genetic map of Diplodia sapinea, a fungus that causes serious disease in pine trees worldwide. Researchers sequenced the complete genome of a strain from China and compared it with related fungi to better understand how the pathogen causes disease. The high-quality genetic information provides important tools for scientists to develop better ways to prevent and control pine shoot blight, protecting valuable forests and timber resources.

Isolation, Identification, and In Vitro Fungicide Screening of the Pathogen Associated with Pear Dry Blight

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Pear dry blight is a serious fungal disease affecting pear orchards in China. Researchers identified the fungus Diaporthe fukushii as the cause and tested various fungicides to find the most effective treatments. The study found that thiophanate-methyl and difenoconazole mixed with propiconazole work best, while some other fungicides are less effective. The research provides farmers with evidence-based strategies to manage this devastating disease.

PcLRR-RK3, an LRR receptor kinase is required for growth and in-planta infection processes in Phytophthora capsici

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Researchers studied a specific protein called PcLRR-RK3 that helps Phytophthora capsici, a disease-causing organism, infect plants. By reducing the amount of this protein, they found that the pathogen became much weaker, could not grow as well, and could not successfully infect plants. This protein sits on the surface of the pathogen’s cells and acts like a communication tool that the organism needs to develop and cause disease.

Vulnerability of Walnut Pruning Wounds to Fungal Trunk Pathogens and Seasonal Conidial Dynamics of Botryosphaeriaceae in the Maule Region, Chile

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When walnut trees are pruned, the resulting wounds are exposed to dangerous fungi that can cause branch die-back and significantly reduce crop yield. This research found that freshly cut pruning wounds are most vulnerable to infection, especially from aggressive fungi like Diplodia mutila, but this vulnerability decreases over time. The fungi spread their spores mainly during wet winter months when rainfall and humidity are high, so timing pruning operations to avoid these periods and protecting wounds with fungicides could substantially reduce disease losses in walnut orchards.

Characterisation of guided entry of tail-anchored proteins in Magnaporthe oryzae

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Rice blast disease caused by the fungus Magnaporthe oryzae threatens global rice production. This study identified and studied five proteins (GET components) that help the fungus insert special proteins into cell membranes, a process essential for the fungus to infect rice plants. Researchers found that two of these proteins are critical for the fungus to grow, reproduce, and cause disease, while a third one actually reduces the fungus’s ability to infect plants. This discovery could lead to new strategies to control rice blast disease.

Research Keyword: pathogenicity