The putative effector BgtE-20069a, secreted from Blumeria graminis f. sp. tritici, suppresses plant immunity to facilitate wheat infection
Abstract Cereal powdery mildews, which are caused by Blumeria graminis, are economically important diseases that are distributed throughout the world. To successfully evade the host defence mechanism, the wheat powdery mildew pathogen known as B. graminis f. sp. tritici (Bgt) secretes an array of ef...
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2025-07-01
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| Online Access: | https://doi.org/10.1186/s12866-025-04110-4 |
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| author | Tong Yan Gui Cheng Yamei Zhai Lisha Wu Shuangjun Gong Dazhao Yu Lijun Yang Fansong Zeng |
| author_facet | Tong Yan Gui Cheng Yamei Zhai Lisha Wu Shuangjun Gong Dazhao Yu Lijun Yang Fansong Zeng |
| author_sort | Tong Yan |
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| description | Abstract Cereal powdery mildews, which are caused by Blumeria graminis, are economically important diseases that are distributed throughout the world. To successfully evade the host defence mechanism, the wheat powdery mildew pathogen known as B. graminis f. sp. tritici (Bgt) secretes an array of effectors into plant cells to interfere with host immunity and promote fungal invasion and colonisation during the infection process. However, little is known about the functions of the vast majority of these effectors in immune manipulation. In this study, we identified an effector-coding gene known as BgtE-20069a from Bgt. This gene encodes a short protein carrying an N-terminal signal peptide with a secretory function and is highly upregulated in the early stage of Bgt infection in wheat. We observed that transient expression of BgtE-20069a in Nicotiana benthamiana suppressed programmed cell death (PCD) induced by both the proapoptotic protein Bax and the elicitor PAMP INF1 from Phytophthora infestans. The mature form of BgtE-20069a (which lacks a signal peptide) is localised to the cytoplasm and nucleus of plant cells. Moreover, the knockdown of BgtE-20069a resulted in reduced virulence towards wheat, with significantly decreased conidia production and a decreased haustorial formation rate being observed. Together, these results suggest that BgtE-20069a is a vital virulence factor that is required for Bgt infection in wheat; moreover, the results indicate that it can suppress plant immunity and increase Bgt virulence. Our findings broaden the current understanding of the role of effectors in promoting Bgt infection by manipulating host immunity, thereby providing new insights into the molecular mechanism of Bgt pathogenesis. |
| format | Article |
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| language | English |
| publishDate | 2025-07-01 |
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| series | BMC Microbiology |
| spelling | doaj-art-35ef0df0e22b423cacd2d5784534a0052025-08-20T04:01:18ZengBMCBMC Microbiology1471-21802025-07-0125111110.1186/s12866-025-04110-4The putative effector BgtE-20069a, secreted from Blumeria graminis f. sp. tritici, suppresses plant immunity to facilitate wheat infectionTong Yan0Gui Cheng1Yamei Zhai2Lisha Wu3Shuangjun Gong4Dazhao Yu5Lijun Yang6Fansong Zeng7Key Laboratory of Integrated Pest Management on Crops in Central China, Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs, Hubei Key Laboratory of Crop Disease, Insect Pests and Weeds Control, Institute of Plant Protection and Soil Science, Hubei Academy of Agricultural SciencesKey Laboratory of Integrated Pest Management on Crops in Central China, Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs, Hubei Key Laboratory of Crop Disease, Insect Pests and Weeds Control, Institute of Plant Protection and Soil Science, Hubei Academy of Agricultural SciencesKey Laboratory of Integrated Pest Management on Crops in Central China, Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs, Hubei Key Laboratory of Crop Disease, Insect Pests and Weeds Control, Institute of Plant Protection and Soil Science, Hubei Academy of Agricultural SciencesKey Laboratory of Integrated Pest Management on Crops in Central China, Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs, Hubei Key Laboratory of Crop Disease, Insect Pests and Weeds Control, Institute of Plant Protection and Soil Science, Hubei Academy of Agricultural SciencesKey Laboratory of Integrated Pest Management on Crops in Central China, Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs, Hubei Key Laboratory of Crop Disease, Insect Pests and Weeds Control, Institute of Plant Protection and Soil Science, Hubei Academy of Agricultural SciencesKey Laboratory of Integrated Pest Management on Crops in Central China, Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs, Hubei Key Laboratory of Crop Disease, Insect Pests and Weeds Control, Institute of Plant Protection and Soil Science, Hubei Academy of Agricultural SciencesKey Laboratory of Integrated Pest Management on Crops in Central China, Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs, Hubei Key Laboratory of Crop Disease, Insect Pests and Weeds Control, Institute of Plant Protection and Soil Science, Hubei Academy of Agricultural SciencesKey Laboratory of Integrated Pest Management on Crops in Central China, Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs, Hubei Key Laboratory of Crop Disease, Insect Pests and Weeds Control, Institute of Plant Protection and Soil Science, Hubei Academy of Agricultural SciencesAbstract Cereal powdery mildews, which are caused by Blumeria graminis, are economically important diseases that are distributed throughout the world. To successfully evade the host defence mechanism, the wheat powdery mildew pathogen known as B. graminis f. sp. tritici (Bgt) secretes an array of effectors into plant cells to interfere with host immunity and promote fungal invasion and colonisation during the infection process. However, little is known about the functions of the vast majority of these effectors in immune manipulation. In this study, we identified an effector-coding gene known as BgtE-20069a from Bgt. This gene encodes a short protein carrying an N-terminal signal peptide with a secretory function and is highly upregulated in the early stage of Bgt infection in wheat. We observed that transient expression of BgtE-20069a in Nicotiana benthamiana suppressed programmed cell death (PCD) induced by both the proapoptotic protein Bax and the elicitor PAMP INF1 from Phytophthora infestans. The mature form of BgtE-20069a (which lacks a signal peptide) is localised to the cytoplasm and nucleus of plant cells. Moreover, the knockdown of BgtE-20069a resulted in reduced virulence towards wheat, with significantly decreased conidia production and a decreased haustorial formation rate being observed. Together, these results suggest that BgtE-20069a is a vital virulence factor that is required for Bgt infection in wheat; moreover, the results indicate that it can suppress plant immunity and increase Bgt virulence. Our findings broaden the current understanding of the role of effectors in promoting Bgt infection by manipulating host immunity, thereby providing new insights into the molecular mechanism of Bgt pathogenesis.https://doi.org/10.1186/s12866-025-04110-4Blumeria graminis f. sp. triticiEffectorVirulencePlant immunity |
| spellingShingle | Tong Yan Gui Cheng Yamei Zhai Lisha Wu Shuangjun Gong Dazhao Yu Lijun Yang Fansong Zeng The putative effector BgtE-20069a, secreted from Blumeria graminis f. sp. tritici, suppresses plant immunity to facilitate wheat infection BMC Microbiology Blumeria graminis f. sp. tritici Effector Virulence Plant immunity |
| title | The putative effector BgtE-20069a, secreted from Blumeria graminis f. sp. tritici, suppresses plant immunity to facilitate wheat infection |
| title_full | The putative effector BgtE-20069a, secreted from Blumeria graminis f. sp. tritici, suppresses plant immunity to facilitate wheat infection |
| title_fullStr | The putative effector BgtE-20069a, secreted from Blumeria graminis f. sp. tritici, suppresses plant immunity to facilitate wheat infection |
| title_full_unstemmed | The putative effector BgtE-20069a, secreted from Blumeria graminis f. sp. tritici, suppresses plant immunity to facilitate wheat infection |
| title_short | The putative effector BgtE-20069a, secreted from Blumeria graminis f. sp. tritici, suppresses plant immunity to facilitate wheat infection |
| title_sort | putative effector bgte 20069a secreted from blumeria graminis f sp tritici suppresses plant immunity to facilitate wheat infection |
| topic | Blumeria graminis f. sp. tritici Effector Virulence Plant immunity |
| url | https://doi.org/10.1186/s12866-025-04110-4 |
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