therapeutic action: Plant defense activation

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

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.

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Transcription Factor PFB1 Is Required for the Botrytis cinerea Effector BcSCR1-Mediated Pathogenesis

Researchers discovered how a fungal disease (grey mould) spreads by identifying a toxic protein it produces that disables a plant’s defense system. The fungal protein BcSCR1 sneaks into plant cells and targets a control switch called PFB1 that normally turns on genes protecting plants from infection. By blocking this control switch, the fungus weakens the plant’s immune defenses and establishes infection more easily.

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Integrated multi-omics identifies plant hormone signal transduction and phenylpropanoid biosynthesis as key pathways in kiwifruit (Actinidia chinensis var. deliciosa) resistance to Botryosphaeria Dothidea infection

Kiwifruit can be infected by a fungus called Botryosphaeria dothidea, which causes soft rot and makes the fruit inedible. Researchers used advanced techniques to study what happens inside the fruit when infected, finding that certain plant hormones and chemical pathways become active to fight the infection. They identified two key genes that appear to control how the fruit responds to the fungus, which could help develop better ways to prevent this costly disease.

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