Symbiotic and infective fungi that interact with plants are distantly related and do n’t share many familial similarities . Comparing flora pathogenic fungus and plant life symbiotic fungus kingdom , scientist at the Sainsbury Laboratory Cambridge University ( SLCU ) have discovered that these remote relatives are using a interchangeable radical of proteins to pull wires and live within industrial plant .
modelling of the structures of FOLD proteins from a pathogen ( blue ) and a symbiotic fungus ( orange ) superimpose onto each other to show how similar they are . Image by Albin Teulet .
Sebastian Schornack ’s research squad is mold to identify and characterize new arbuscular mycorrhiza ( AM ) effector – proteins release by symbiotic AM fungus kingdom to facilitate colonization of plant roots . As part of this , they are also investigate whether morbific and symbiotic fungi are using similar or different strategies .
Using the AlphaFold2 AI computer program that predicts protein anatomical structure , the team is the first to compare secrete proteins from symbiotic and pathogenic fungi . They determine that symbiotic fungi encode the same family of proteins that morbific fungi exercise to interact with and colonise plants . The findings were published today in New Phytologist .
“ There is a Brobdingnagian diversity in the genetic computer code of effector proteins in tight related microbes , so it is even more difficult to compare protein sequences between pathogens and symbionts that are more distantly colligate , ” say Dr. Albin Teulet , who is first author of the research . “ or else , we took advantage of the late development of AlphaFold2 to do a comparison between the secreted protein structures from a symbiotic fungus and a pathogenic fungus . This led to the find that there is a mathematical group of structurally very similar protein previously bang from pathogens that are also present – often in greater numbers – encoded in the genome of symbiotic kingdom Fungi . ”
Plant - fungi relationships have a dramatic essence on plant health in natural ecosystems and agriculture – both confident and damaging . AM fungus kingdom are the most common symbiotic association of plants with microbes , colonizing plant ascendent to promote nutrient uptake , enhance plant growth and even aid fend off pathogen . While pathogenic fungi , such as strains of Fusarium oxysporum , are some of the creation ’s most devastating pathogens with a encompassing host chain of mountains and are presently threatening to pass over out Cavendish banana and crude oil palm plantation . Fusarium also has lent its name to the group of proteins the team have found : Fusarium oxysporum lycopersici dual - domain proteins ( FOLDs ) .
The research worker classified all the proteins secreted by the symbiotic AM fungus Rhizophagus irregularis and identified a enceinte family of FOLD - comparable effector ( MycFOLDs ) with gamey structural similarity to the FOLD proteins produced by the Fusarium oxysporum pathogen .
Root of Nicotiana benthamiana colonize by Rhizophagus irregularis ( stained bluish ) . Image by Edwige Berthelot .
FOLD effecter are only find in the genomes of kingdom Fungi that form associations with inhabit plant . This suggests that these proteins underpin universal mechanisms enabling both pathogens and symbiotic fungi to live within plant .
Dr. Schornack said discovering that works symbiotic and pathogenic fungi were using some of the same putz provided a new perspective on our understanding of fungous symbionts : “ The patently undivided presence of FOLD / MycFOLDs across unrelated plant - colonize fungi underpin the hypothesis that turn up proteins act as effectors during industrial plant colonization of both symbiotic and morbific fungi . ”
“ If symbiotic and infective fungus are using the same tools , this mean contrive way to enhance AM family relationship in crop might make the crops more susceptible to pathogen at the same time . However , these findings now open new questions for us to explore , such as why do symbiotic fungi have these protein that pathogens also have and what do they actually do ? ”
Source : slcu.cam.ac.uk
