plant immunity – mycolab.ai

The VlMYB149-VlHIPP30 Regulatory Module Enhances Grapevine Resistance to Botrytis cinerea by Activating the Antioxidant System and Copper Metabolism

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Scientists discovered that two grape proteins working together help grapes resist a common fungal disease called grey mould. When grapes are infected, one protein (VlMYB149) activates a second protein (VlHIPP30) that helps the plant accumulate copper and boost its natural antioxidant defenses. This discovery could help farmers grow disease-resistant grape varieties without relying on chemical fungicides.

Bioinspired nano-architected chitosan-β-glucan nanocomposite as an elicitor for disease management sustainably

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Scientists created tiny engineered particles made from chitosan and β-glucan that act like alarm signals to boost plants’ natural defenses against a destructive soil fungus called Sclerotium rolfsii. These nano-particles are extremely effective at just 220-240 parts per million, far more powerful than conventional fungicides which require 2000 ppm. The particles work by damaging the fungus’s cells directly while also triggering the plant’s immune system, offering farmers a sustainable alternative to chemical pesticides.

Advances of Peptides for Plant Immunity

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Plant peptides are small signaling molecules that help plants defend themselves against diseases and pests. These peptides can work by directly killing pathogens or by activating the plant’s immune system. Researchers have identified over 1000 different plant peptides, and this review explains how they work and how they could be used to create disease-resistant crops and natural biopesticides.

Rhizoctonia solani Secretes RsCAP3 to Target Nb14–3–3b, Interfering with Hormone-Mediated Resistance in Tobacco

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A fungal disease that damages tobacco plants produces a protein called RsCAP3 that helps it evade plant immune defenses. This protein hijacks a plant defense regulator, causing the plant to activate the wrong defense pathway while suppressing another crucial defense mechanism. By manipulating these natural plant defenses, the fungus can infect the tobacco more easily, leading to disease.

NtCML19 Is Recruited by Tobacco to Interact With the Deacetylase Protein RsDN3377 of Rhizoctonia solani AG3-TB, Inhibiting Fungal Infection

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Tobacco plants are under attack from a fungal disease caused by Rhizoctonia solani. Scientists discovered that this fungus produces a protein called RsDN3377 that helps it grow and infect plants. However, tobacco plants have evolved a defense protein called NtCML19 that recognizes RsDN3377 and triggers an immune response to fight off the infection. By engineering tobacco plants to produce more NtCML19, researchers showed they could make the plants more resistant to the disease, suggesting a potential new strategy for protecting crops.

The Small Key to the Treasure Chest: Endogenous Plant Peptides Involved in Symbiotic Interactions

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Plants use tiny signaling molecules called peptides to communicate with beneficial soil organisms like nitrogen-fixing bacteria and fungi. These peptides act like chemical messengers that help plants decide when to allow these microbes to enter their roots and form helpful relationships. The review identifies over a dozen peptide families that control nodule formation, nutrient uptake, and immune responses, revealing how plants have evolved sophisticated mechanisms to balance protection against harmful pathogens while welcoming beneficial partners.

Early changes in microRNA expression in Arabidopsis plants infected with the fungal pathogen Fusarium graminearum

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Researchers studied how Arabidopsis plants respond to infection by the fungus Fusarium graminearum by examining changes in small RNA molecules called microRNAs. They found that the plant activates specific microRNAs early in infection, even before visible disease symptoms appear. Two particularly important microRNAs, miR855 and miR826a, were identified as potential key regulators of the plant’s defense response. These findings could help scientists develop crop varieties with improved resistance to fungal diseases that cause significant agricultural losses worldwide.

Fungal Argonaute proteins act in bidirectional cross-kingdom RNA interference during plant infection

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Scientists discovered that fungi and plants exchange genetic instructions called small RNAs to control each other during infection. A fungal pathogen called Botrytis cinerea uses special proteins called Argonautes to deliver these instructions into plant cells, which helps the fungus cause disease. Plants also send back their own genetic instructions to defend themselves. Understanding these molecular communications could lead to new ways to protect crops from fungal diseases.

Plant–Fungi Mutualism, Alternative Splicing, and Defense Responses: Balancing Symbiosis and Immunity

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Fungi form beneficial partnerships with plant roots, helping plants absorb nutrients and resist stress. A key process called alternative splicing allows cells to make different versions of proteins from the same genes, fine-tuning how plants and fungi cooperate. This review explains how alternative splicing acts like a molecular switch that balances the plant’s immune system with accepting the beneficial fungus, and how understanding this could help farmers grow healthier crops with less chemical fertilizers.

New wine in old skins: Scopoletin biosynthesis in cotton

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Cotton farmers face significant crop losses from a soil-dwelling fungus called Verticillium dahliae. Scientists discovered that cotton plants can protect themselves by producing a compound called scopoletin, which damages and kills this fungus. By understanding how cotton activates the genes that make scopoletin, researchers may be able to genetically engineer more disease-resistant cotton varieties, providing farmers with a sustainable alternative to chemical pesticides.

Research Keyword: plant immunity