Cross-Species Translocation of mRNA from Host Plants into the Parasitic Plant Dodder

Abstract Background: This study aims at evaluating the phytochemicals composition at the host-parasite interfaces of parasitic plant Tapinanthus globiferus (mistletoe) and four host plants. Wood tissues of the hosts and the parasite at the host-parasite interface were collected and analyzed to determine the presence secondary metabolites. Results: The result showed that flavonoids, saponins, and glycosides were present in the plants and parasite samples. The results revealed higher concentration of flavonoids (P < 0.05) in the parasite of C. acuminata (1190.33 ± 48.23 mgQE/g) and P. macrophylla (1482.55 ± 31.35 mgQE/g) than in the host plant. Saponins was significantly (P < 0.05) higher in the parasites as compared to their respective host. Conclusion: At the host-parasite interface, significantly higher phytochemicals in the wood portion of T. globiferus was observed as compared to the host plants wood; however, the variability in phytochemical content of T. globiferus is dependent on the host. Therefore, milestoe would be a better source of bioactive compounds with high medicinal values than their host plants if explored further.

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Host-parasite tissue adhesion by a secreted type of β-1,4-glucanase in the parasitic plant Phtheirospermum japonicum

Communications Biology ◽

10.1038/s42003-020-01143-5 ◽

2020 ◽

Vol 3 (1) ◽

Cited By ~ 5

Author(s):

Ken-ichi Kurotani ◽

Takanori Wakatake ◽

Yasunori Ichihashi ◽

Koji Okayasu ◽

Yu Sawai ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Plant Species ◽

Host Plants ◽

Parasitic Plant ◽

Comparative Transcriptome ◽

Gene Encoding ◽

Cell Wall Modification ◽

Tissue Adhesion ◽

Plant Parasitism ◽

Host Parasite ◽

Shared Gene

AbstractTissue adhesion between plant species occurs both naturally and artificially. Parasitic plants establish intimate relationship with host plants by adhering tissues at roots or stems. Plant grafting, on the other hand, is a widely used technique in agriculture to adhere tissues of two stems. Here we found that the model Orobanchaceae parasitic plant Phtheirospermum japonicum can be grafted on to interfamily species. To understand molecular basis of tissue adhesion between distant plant species, we conducted comparative transcriptome analyses on both infection and grafting by P. japonicum on Arabidopsis. Despite different organs, we identified the shared gene expression profile, where cell proliferation- and cell wall modification-related genes are up-regulated. Among genes commonly induced in tissue adhesion between distant species, we showed a gene encoding a secreted type of β-1,4-glucanase plays an important role for plant parasitism. Our data provide insights into the molecular commonality between parasitism and grafting in plants.

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Nitrates increase abscisic acid levels to regulate haustoria formation in the parasitic plant Phtheirospermum japonicum

10.1101/2021.06.15.448499 ◽

2021 ◽

Author(s):

Anna Kokla ◽

Martina Leso ◽

Xiang Zhang ◽

Jan Simura ◽

Songkui Cui ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Abscisic Acid ◽

Host Plants ◽

Nitrogen Availability ◽

Parasitic Plants ◽

Parasitic Plant ◽

Striga Hermonthica ◽

Obligate Parasites ◽

Root Parasite ◽

Aba Biosynthesis ◽

External Nutrient

Parasitic plants are globally prevalent pathogens that withdraw nutrients from their host plants using an organ known as the haustorium. Some, the obligate parasites are entirely dependent on their hosts for survival, whereas others, the facultative parasites, are independent of their hosts and infect depending on environmental conditions and the presence of the host. How parasitic plants regulate their haustoria in response to their environment is largely unknown. Using the facultative root parasite Phtheirospermum japonicum, we found that external nutrient levels modified haustorial numbers. This effect was independent of phosphate and potassium but nitrates were sufficient and necessary to block haustoria formation. Elevated nitrate levels prevented the activation of hundreds of genes associated with haustoria formation, downregulated genes associated with xylem development and increased levels of abscisic acid (ABA). Enhancing ABA levels independently of nitrates blocked haustoria formation whereas reducing ABA biosynthesis allowed haustoria to form in the presence of nitrates suggesting that nitrates mediated haustorial regulation in part via ABA production. Nitrates also inhibited haustoria formation and reduced infectivity of the obligate root parasite Striga hermonthica, suggesting a more widely conserved mechanism by which parasitic plants adapt their extent of parasitism according to nitrogen availability in the external environment.

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Stem parasitic plant Cuscuta australis (dodder) transfers herbivory-induced signals among plants

Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences ◽

10.1073/pnas.1704536114 ◽

2017 ◽

Vol 114 (32) ◽

pp. E6703-E6709 ◽

Cited By ~ 26

Author(s):

Christian Hettenhausen ◽

Juan Li ◽

Huifu Zhuang ◽

Huanhuan Sun ◽

Yuxing Xu ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Host Plants ◽

Parasitic Plant ◽

Virus Movement ◽

Plant Signaling ◽

Fitness Costs ◽

Enhanced Resistance ◽

Herbivore Attack ◽

Acid Pathway ◽

Local Plants ◽

Transcriptomic Changes

Cuscuta spp. (i.e., dodders) are stem parasites that naturally graft to their host plants to extract water and nutrients; multiple adjacent hosts are often parasitized by one or more Cuscuta plants simultaneously, forming connected plant clusters. Metabolites, proteins, and mRNAs are known to be transferred from hosts to Cuscuta, and Cuscuta bridges even facilitate host-to-host virus movement. Whether Cuscuta bridges transmit ecologically meaningful signals remains unknown. Here we show that, when host plants are connected by Cuscuta bridges, systemic herbivory signals are transmitted from attacked plants to unattacked plants, as revealed by the large transcriptomic changes in the attacked local leaves, undamaged systemic leaves of the attacked plants, and leaves of unattacked but connected hosts. The interplant signaling is largely dependent on the jasmonic acid pathway of the damaged local plants, and can be found among conspecific or heterospecific hosts of different families. Importantly, herbivore attack of one host plant elevates defensive metabolites in the other systemic Cuscuta bridge-connected hosts, resulting in enhanced resistance against insects even in several consecutively Cuscuta-connected host plants over long distances (> 100 cm). By facilitating plant-to-plant signaling, Cuscuta provides an information-based means of countering the resource-based fitness costs to their hosts.

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Interspecific Signaling Between the Parasitic Plant and the Host Plants Regulate Xylem Vessel Cell Differentiation in Haustoria of Cuscuta campestris

Frontiers in Plant Science ◽

10.3389/fpls.2020.00193 ◽

2020 ◽

Vol 11 ◽

Author(s):

Yuki Kaga ◽

Ryusuke Yokoyama ◽

Ryosuke Sano ◽

Misato Ohtani ◽

Taku Demura ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Cell Differentiation ◽

Host Plants ◽

Parasitic Plant ◽

Xylem Vessel ◽

Cuscuta Campestris

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A new galling insect model enhances photosynthetic activity in an obligate holoparasitic plant

Scientific Reports ◽

10.1038/s41598-021-92417-3 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 11 (1) ◽

Author(s):

Ryo Murakami ◽

Ryo Ushima ◽

Ryoma Sugimoto ◽

Daisuke Tamaoki ◽

Ichirou Karahara ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Formation Process ◽

Plant Tissue ◽

Host Plants ◽

Photosynthetic Activity ◽

Parasitic Plant ◽

Gall Formation ◽

Plant Morphogenesis ◽

Cuscuta Campestris ◽

Forming Behaviour ◽

Outer Environment

AbstractInsect-induced galls are microhabitats distinct from the outer environment that support inhabitants by providing improved nutrients, defence against enemies, and other unique features. It is intriguing as to how insects reprogram and modify plant morphogenesis. Because most of the gall systems are formed on trees, it is difficult to maintain them in laboratories and to comprehend the mechanisms operative in them through experimental manipulations. Herein, we propose a new model insect, Smicronyx madaranus, for studying the mechanisms of gall formation. This weevil forms spherical galls on the shoots of Cuscuta campestris, an obligate parasitic plant. We established a stable system for breeding and maintaining this ecologically intriguing insect in the laboratory, and succeeded in detailed analyses of the gall-forming behaviour, gall formation process, and histochemical and physiological features. Parasitic C. campestris depends on host plants for its nutrients, and usually shows low chlorophyll content and photosynthetic activity. We demonstrate that S. madaranus-induced galls have significantly increased CO2 absorbance. Moreover, chloroplasts and starch accumulated in gall tissues at locations inhabited by the weevil larvae. These results suggest that the gall-inducing weevils enhance the photosynthetic activity in C. campestris, and modify the plant tissue to a nutrient-rich shelter for them.

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The Effect of Virulence and Resistance Mechanisms on the Interactions between Parasitic Plants and Their Hosts

International Journal of Molecular Sciences ◽

10.3390/ijms21239013 ◽

2020 ◽

Vol 21 (23) ◽

pp. 9013

Author(s):

Luyang Hu ◽

Jiansu Wang ◽

Chong Yang ◽

Faisal Islam ◽

Harro Bouwmeester ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Host Plants ◽

Parasitic Plants ◽

Crop Productivity ◽

Resistance Mechanisms ◽

Parasitic Plant ◽

Parasitic Weeds ◽

Rnai Silencing ◽

Plant Microbe Interaction ◽

Crop Varieties ◽

Evolution Of Virulence

Parasitic plants have a unique heterotrophic lifestyle based on the extraction of water and nutrients from host plants. Some parasitic plant species, particularly those of the family Orobanchaceae, attack crops and cause substantial yield losses. The breeding of resistant crop varieties is an inexpensive way to control parasitic weeds, but often does not provide a long-lasting solution because the parasites rapidly evolve to overcome resistance. Understanding mechanisms underlying naturally occurring parasitic plant resistance is of great interest and could help to develop methods to control parasitic plants. In this review, we describe the virulence mechanisms of parasitic plants and resistance mechanisms in their hosts, focusing on obligate root parasites of the genera Orobanche and Striga. We noticed that the resistance (R) genes in the host genome often encode proteins with nucleotide-binding and leucine-rich repeat domains (NLR proteins), hence we proposed a mechanism by which host plants use NLR proteins to activate downstream resistance gene expression. We speculated how parasitic plants and their hosts co-evolved and discussed what drives the evolution of virulence effectors in parasitic plants by considering concepts from similar studies of plant–microbe interaction. Most previous studies have focused on the host rather than the parasite, so we also provided an updated summary of genomic resources for parasitic plants and parasitic genes for further research to test our hypotheses. Finally, we discussed new approaches such as CRISPR/Cas9-mediated genome editing and RNAi silencing that can provide deeper insight into the intriguing life cycle of parasitic plants and could potentially contribute to the development of novel strategies for controlling parasitic weeds, thereby enhancing crop productivity and food security globally.

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Field dodder life cycle and interaction with host plants

Pesticidi i fitomedicina ◽

10.2298/pif1702095s ◽

2017 ◽

Vol 32 (2) ◽

pp. 95-103 ◽

Cited By ~ 1

Author(s):

Marija Saric-Krsmanovic ◽

Sava Vrbnicanin

Keyword(s):

Life Cycle ◽

Host Plants ◽

Close Association ◽

Parasitic Plant ◽

Effective Field ◽

Parasite Growth ◽

Crop Fields ◽

Field Crops ◽

The World ◽

Agricultural Regions

Field dodder is a parasitic plant that attaches to stems and leaves of broadleaf plants, including weeds, field crops, vegetables and ornamentals, across most agricultural regions of the world. Effective field dodder control is extremely difficult to achieve due to the nature of attachment and close association between the host and the parasite, which require a highly effective and selective herbicide to destroy the parasite without damaging its host. To establish a strategy for controlling parasite growth and restricting the spread of field dodder in crop fields, it is important to learn more about this weed, its life cycle and development.

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Parasite–host interactions in Castilleja and Orthocarpus

Canadian Journal of Botany ◽

10.1139/b97-839 ◽

1997 ◽

Vol 75 (8) ◽

pp. 1252-1260 ◽

Cited By ~ 33

Author(s):

Diethart Matthies

Keyword(s):

Biomass Allocation ◽

Host Plants ◽

Parasitic Plant ◽

Negative Effects ◽

Host Interactions ◽

Castilleja Integra ◽

Host Growth ◽

Total Productivity ◽

Medicago Sativa L ◽

Shoot Mass

Growth, reproduction, and biomass allocation were studied in three perennial root hemiparasites, Castilleja integra Gray, Castilleja miniata Dougl., Castilleja chromosa A. Nels., and the annual hemiparasite Orthocarpus purpurascens Benth. grown either without or with a host plant. In addition, the effects of the hemiparasites on the host plants were investigated. All four hemiparasites could grow without a host, indicating that they are facultative parasites; O. purpurascens and C. chromosa produced flowers without a host. However, shoot mass of parasites with a host was 3–41 times that of parasites without a host. For C. miniata, C. chromosa, and O. purpurascens the growth of parasites grown with the legume Medicago sativa L. was compared with that of parasites grown with the grass Lolium perenne L. The legume was consistently a more beneficial host than the grass. In C. miniata and C. chromosa, patterns of biomass allocation were also influenced by the host type. The proportion of biomass allocated to roots was lower in parasites grown with the legume than in plants without a host, whereas it was higher in parasites grown with the grass. The parasites had strong negative effects on host growth, but the extent of host damage depended on the particular parasite–host combination. Castilleja chromosa and O. purpurascens affected the growth of the legume more strongly than that of the grass, whereas C. miniata affected the grass more strongly than the legume. Grasses parasitized by C. miniata allocated more biomass to roots than unparasitized grasses. In the other parasite–host associations the pattern of biomass allocation of the host was not influenced by parasitization. Because the biomass produced by the four hemiparasites was lower than the reduction in host biomass caused by parasitism, the parasites reduced total productivity. Therefore, the studied hemiparasites may potentially affect the structure and diversity of their communities. Key words: biomass allocation, host damage, parasite benefit, parasitic plant.

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