A Phytophthora effector suppresses trans-kingdom RNAi to promote disease susceptibility

Hou, Yingnan, Zhai, Yi, Feng, Li, Karimi, Hana Z., Rutter, Brian D., Zeng, Liping, Choi, Du Seok, Zhang, Bailong, Gu, Weifeng, Chen, Xuemei, Ye, Wenwu, Innes, Roger W., Zhai, Jixian and Ma, Wenbo (2019) A Phytophthora effector suppresses trans-kingdom RNAi to promote disease susceptibility. Cell Host & Microbe, 25 (1). 153-165.e5. ISSN 1931-3128

Full text not available from this repository. (Request a copy)

Abstract

RNA silencing (RNAi) has a well-established role in anti-viral immunity in plants. The destructive eukaryotic pathogen Phytophthora encodes suppressors of RNAi (PSRs), which enhance plant susceptibility. However, the role of small RNAs in defense against eukaryotic pathogens is unclear. Here, we show that Phytophthora infection of Arabidopsis leads to increased production of a diverse pool of secondary small interfering RNAs (siRNAs). Instead of regulating endogenous plant genes, these siRNAs are found in extracellular vesicles and likely silence target genes in Phytophthora during natural infection. Introduction of a plant siRNA in Phytophthora leads to developmental deficiency and abolishes virulence, while Arabidopsis mutants defective in secondary siRNA biogenesis are hypersusceptible. Notably, Phytophthora effector PSR2 specifically inhibits secondary siRNA biogenesis in Arabidopsis and promotes infection. These findings uncover the role of siRNAs as antimicrobial agents against eukaryotic pathogens and highlight a defense/counter-defense arms race centered on trans-kingdom gene silencing between hosts and pathogens.

Item Type:	Article
Faculty \ School:	Faculty of Science > The Sainsbury Laboratory
Related URLs:	https://linkinghub.elsevier.com/retrieve...
Depositing User:	LivePure Connector
Date Deposited:	12 Jan 2021 00:54
Last Modified:	22 Oct 2022 07:25
URI:	https://ueaeprints.uea.ac.uk/id/eprint/78148
DOI:	10.1016/j.chom.2018.11.007

Actions (login required)

View Item