scholarly journals A Novel ‘Candidatus Liberibacter asiaticus’-Encoded Sec-Dependent Secretory Protein Suppresses Programmed Cell Death in Nicotiana benthamiana

2019 ◽  
Vol 20 (22) ◽  
pp. 5802 ◽  
Author(s):  
Zhang ◽  
Wang ◽  
Liu ◽  
Fan ◽  
Zhang ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Cell Death ◽  
Amino Acid ◽  
Programmed Cell Death ◽  
Nicotiana Benthamiana ◽  
Secretory Protein ◽  
Secretory Proteins ◽  
Bacterial Disease ◽  
Candidatus Liberibacter Asiaticus ◽  
Candidatus Liberibacter ◽  
Liberibacter Asiaticus

‘Candidatus Liberibacter asiaticus’ (CLas) is one of the causal agents of citrus Huanglongbing (HLB), a bacterial disease of citrus trees that greatly reduces fruit yield and quality. CLas strains produce an array of currently uncharacterized Sec-dependent secretory proteins. In this study, the conserved chromosomally encoded protein CLIBASIA_03875 was identified as a novel Sec-dependent secreted protein. We show that CLIBASIA_03875 contains a putative Sec- secretion signal peptide (SP), a 29 amino acid residue located at the N-terminus, with a mature protein (m3875) of 22 amino acids found to localize in multiple subcellular components of the leaf epidermal cells of Nicotiana benthamiana. When overexpressed via a Potato virus X (PVX)-based expression vector in N. benthamiana, m3875 suppressed programmed cell death (PCD) and the H2O2 accumulation triggered by the pro-apoptotic mouse protein BAX and the Phytophthora infestans elicitin INF1. Overexpression also resulted in a phenotype of dwarfing, leaf deformation and mosaics, suggesting that m3875 has roles in plant immune response, growth, and development. Substitution mutagenesis of the charged amino acid (D7, R9, R11, and K22) with alanine within m3875 did not recover the phenotypes for PCD and normal growth. In addition, the transiently overexpressed m3875 regulated the transcriptional levels of N. benthamiana orthologs of CNGCs (cyclic nucleotide-gated channels), BI-1 (Bax-inhibitor 1), and WRKY33 that are involved in plant defense mechanisms. To our knowledge, m3875 is the first PCD suppressor identified from CLas. Studying the function of this protein provides insight as to how CLas attenuates the host immune responses to proliferate and cause Huanglongbing disease in citrus plants.

scholarly journals Identification of the Virulence Factors of Candidatus Liberibacter asiaticus via Heterologous Expression in Nicotiana benthamiana using Tobacco Mosaic Virus

2019 ◽  
Vol 20 (22) ◽  
pp. 5575 ◽  
Author(s):  
Xiaobao Ying ◽  
Mengyuan Wan ◽  
Linshuang Hu ◽  
Jinghua Zhang ◽  
Hui Li ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Cell Death ◽  
Subcellular Localization ◽  
Virulence Factors ◽  
Nicotiana Benthamiana ◽  
Candidatus Liberibacter Asiaticus ◽  
Yeast Two Hybrid ◽  
Host Proteins ◽  
Candidatus Liberibacter ◽  
Liberibacter Asiaticus ◽  
Two Hybrid

Huanglongbing (HLB), also known as citrus greening, is the most destructive disease of citrus worldwide. HLB is associated with the non-culturable bacterium, Candidatus Liberibacter asiaticus (CaLas) in the United States. The virulence mechanism of CaLas is largely unknown, partly because of the lack of a mutant library. In this study, Tobacco mosaic virus (TMV) and Nicotiana benthamiana (N. benthamiana) were used for large-scale screening of the virulence factors of CaLas. Agroinfiltration of 60 putative virulence factors in N. benthamiana led to the identification of four candidates that caused severe symptoms in N. benthamiana, such as growth inhibition and cell death. CLIBASIA_05150 and CLIBASIA_04065C (C-terminal of CLIBASIA_04065) could cause cell death in the infiltrated leaves at five days post infiltration. Two low-molecular-weight candidates, CLIBASIA_00470 and CLIBASIA_04025, could inhibit plant growth. By converting start codon to stop codon or frameshifting, the four genes lost their harmful effects to N. benthamiana. It indicated that the four virulence factors functioned at the protein level rather than at the RNA level. The subcellular localization of the four candidates was determined by confocal laser scanning microscope. CLIBASIA_05150 located in the Golgi apparatus; CLIBASIA_04065 located in the mitochondrion; CLIBASIA_00470 and CLIBASIA_04025 distributed in cells as free GFP. The host proteins interacting with the four virulence factors were identified by yeast two-hybrid. The host proteins interacting with CLIBASIA_00470 and CLIBASIA_04025 were overlapping. Based on the phenotypes, the subcellular localization and the host proteins identified by yeast two-hybrid, CLIBASIA_00470 and CLIBASIA_04025, functioned redundantly. The hypothesis of CaLas virulence was proposed. CaLas affects citrus development and suppresses citrus disease resistance, comprehensively, in a complicated manner. Ubiquitin-mediated protein degradation might play a vital role in CaLas virulence. Deep characterization of the interactions between the identified virulence factors and their prey will shed light on HLB. Eventually, it will help in developing HLB-resistant citrus and save the endangered citrus industry worldwide.

scholarly journals Murraya paniculata and Related Species as Potential Hosts and Inoculum Reservoirs of ‘Candidatus Liberibacter asiaticus’, Causal Agent of Huanglongbing

Plant Disease ◽  
2010 ◽  
Vol 94 (5) ◽  
pp. 528-533 ◽  
Author(s):  
V. D. Damsteegt ◽  
E. N. Postnikova ◽  
A. L. Stone ◽  
M. Kuhlmann ◽  
C. Wilson ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Bacterial Disease ◽  
Diaphorina Citri ◽  
Candidatus Liberibacter Asiaticus ◽  
Infection Rates ◽  
Disease Symptoms ◽  
Murraya Paniculata ◽  
Candidatus Liberibacter ◽  
Liberibacter Asiaticus ◽  
Polymerase Chain ◽  
Southern Florida

Huanglongbing (HLB), considered to be the most serious insect-vectored bacterial disease of citrus, is transmitted in nature by the Asian citrus psyllid Diaphorina citri and the African citrus psyllid Trioza erytreae. D. citri was discovered in southern Florida in 1998 and the HLB disease in 2005. Both have become established throughout citrus-producing areas of Florida. Murraya species are widely grown in southern Florida as ornamental hedges and are readily colonized by D. citri vectors. Colonies of D. citri, isolates of ‘Candidatus Liberibacter asiaticus’ from Taiwan and Florida, and the Murraya species were established in the BSL-3 biosecurity facility at Fort Detrick. In controlled inoculation experiments, D. citri transmitted ‘Ca. L. asiaticus’ into M. paniculata (34/36 plants) and M. exotica (22/23 plants), but not into Bergera (Murraya) koenigii. Disease symptoms rarely developed in Murraya plants; however, positive infections were determined by conventional and real-time polymerase chain reaction (PCR). Back-inoculations of ‘Ca. L. asiaticus’ from M. paniculata to Madam Vinous sweet orange resulted in disease development in 25% of the inoculated plants. Considerable variability was observed in infection rates, titer, and persistence of ‘Ca. L. asiaticus’ in infected Murraya.

scholarly journals Diaphorina citri Genome Possesses a Complete Melatonin Biosynthesis Pathway Differentially Expressed under the Influence of the Phytopathogenic Bacterium, Candidatus Liberibacter asiaticus

Insects ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 12 (4) ◽  
pp. 317
Author(s):  
Yasser Nehela ◽  
Nabil Killiny
Keyword(s):  
Amino Acid ◽  
Shikimic Acid ◽  
Expression Patterns ◽  
Acid Decarboxylase ◽  
Biosynthesis Pathway ◽  
Diaphorina Citri ◽  
Candidatus Liberibacter Asiaticus ◽  
Phytopathogenic Bacterium ◽  
Candidatus Liberibacter ◽  
Liberibacter Asiaticus

Melatonin is synthesized from the amino acid L-tryptophan via the shikimic acid pathway and ubiquitously distributed in both prokaryotes and eukaryotes. Although most of melatonin biosynthesis genes were characterized in several plants and animal species including the insect model, Drosophila melanogaster, none of these enzymes have been identified from the Asian citrus psyllid, Diaphorina citri. We used comprehensive in silico analysis and gene expression techniques to identify the melatonin biosynthesis-related genes of D. citri and to evaluate the expression patterns of these genes within the adults of D. citri with gradient infection rates (0, 28, 34, 50, 58, and 70%) of the phytopathogenic bacterium Candidatus Liberibacter asiaticus and after the treatment with exogenous melatonin. We showed that the D. citri genome possesses six putative melatonin biosynthesis-related genes including two putative tryptophan 5-hydroxylase (DcT5H-1 and DcT5H-2), a putative aromatic amino acid decarboxylase (DcAADC), two putative arylalkylamine N-acetyltransferase (DcAANAT-1 and DcAANAT-2), and putative N-acetylserotonin O-methyltransferase (DcASMT). The infection with Ca. L. asiaticus decreased the transcript levels of all predicted genes in the adults of D. citri. Moreover, melatonin supplementation induced their expression levels in both healthy and Ca. L. asiaticus-infected psyllids. These findings confirm the association of these genes with the melatonin biosynthesis pathway.

scholarly journals Citrus Huanglongbing is an immune-mediated disease that can be treated by mitigating reactive oxygen species triggered cell death of the phloem tissues caused by Candidatus Liberibacter asiaticus

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Nian Wang ◽  
Wenxiu Ma ◽  
Zhiqian Pang ◽  
Xianen Huang ◽  
Sheo Pandey ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Reactive Oxygen Species ◽  
Cell Death ◽  
Uric Acid ◽  
Ros Production ◽  
Oxygen Species ◽  
Candidatus Liberibacter Asiaticus ◽  
Immune Mediated ◽  
Candidatus Liberibacter ◽  
Citrus Huanglongbing ◽  
Liberibacter Asiaticus

The immune system is critical for keeping animals and plants healthy from pathogens. However, immune-mediated diseases are also common for human. Immune-mediated diseases have not been reported for plants. Here, we present evidence that citrus Huanglongbing (HLB), caused by phloem-colonizing Candidatus Liberibacter asiaticus (CLas), is an immune-mediated disease. CLas infection of Citrus sinensis stimulated systemic and chronic immune response in the phloem tissues including reactive oxygen species (ROS) production as indicated by H2O2, callose deposition, and induction of immune related genes. Systemic cell death of companion and sieve element cells, but not surrounding parenchyma cells, was observed following ROS production triggered by CLas. ROS production triggered by CLas localized in phloem tissues. The H2O2 concentration in exudates extracted from phloem enriched bark tissue of CLas infected plants reached a threshold of killing citrus protoplast cells, which was suppressed by uric acid (a ROS scavenger) and gibberellin. Foliar spray of HLB positive citrus with antioxidants (uric acid and rutin) and gibberellin significantly reduced both H2O2 concentrations and cell death in phloem tissues induced by CLas and reduced HLB symptoms. RNA-seq analyses of CLas infected and health C. sinensis support that CLas causes oxidative stress. In sum, HLB is an immune-mediated disease and both mitigating ROS via antioxidants and promoting plant growth can reduce cell death of the phloem tissues caused by CLas, thus controlling HLB.

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