Specific selection on XEG1 and XLP1 genes correlates with host range and adaptability in Phytophthora
Abstract In diverse Phytophthora-plant pathosystems, Phytophthora secretes XLP1 (PsXEG1-Like Protein), a non-enzymatic paralog that functions as a decoy to protect XEG1 (Xyloglucan-specific Endoglucanase) from host inhibitors. Here, we show that the genus-specific selection pressures on the XEG1/XLP...
Saved in:
| Main Authors: | , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , |
|---|---|
| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
| Published: |
Nature Portfolio
2025-04-01
|
| Series: | Nature Communications |
| Online Access: | https://doi.org/10.1038/s41467-025-58770-x |
| Tags: |
Add Tag
No Tags, Be the first to tag this record!
|
| _version_ | 1850181863791919104 |
|---|---|
| author | Qi Zhang Xi Chen Haixia You Bing Chen Liyu Jia Sizhe Li Xinyu Zhang Ji Ma Xinyi Wu Kaixiang Wang Huanshan Liu Haibin Jiang Junhua Xiao Haidong Shu Zhichao Zhang Min Qiu Yeqiang Xia Han Chen Yan Wang Wenwu Ye Suomeng Dong Zhenchuan Ma Yuanchao Wang |
| author_facet | Qi Zhang Xi Chen Haixia You Bing Chen Liyu Jia Sizhe Li Xinyu Zhang Ji Ma Xinyi Wu Kaixiang Wang Huanshan Liu Haibin Jiang Junhua Xiao Haidong Shu Zhichao Zhang Min Qiu Yeqiang Xia Han Chen Yan Wang Wenwu Ye Suomeng Dong Zhenchuan Ma Yuanchao Wang |
| author_sort | Qi Zhang |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Abstract In diverse Phytophthora-plant pathosystems, Phytophthora secretes XLP1 (PsXEG1-Like Protein), a non-enzymatic paralog that functions as a decoy to protect XEG1 (Xyloglucan-specific Endoglucanase) from host inhibitors. Here, we show that the genus-specific selection pressures on the XEG1/XLP1 gene pair are crucial for host adaptation and are closely linked to Phytophthora host range. Our findings reveal that the XEG1/XLP1 gene pair originated within Phytophthora and subsequently evolved into genus-specific genes, undergoing functional divergence driven by preferential selection. Positive selection sites within the XEG1/XLP1 gene pair in Phytophthora contribute to this functional divergence and are associated with the host range variability of Phytophthora as evidenced by multivariate statistical analyses. Furthermore, mutations at key selection sites in Phytophthora sojae and Phytophthora capsici significantly impair their pathogenicity, with P. capsici exhibiting almost no colonization expansion on tobacco and pea. Notably, natural Phytophthora populations harbor mutations at the positive selection sites, indicating ongoing evolutionary pressures on the XEG1/XLP1 gene pair. |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj-art-36bccb140e124880ba177fcd09064e52 |
| institution | OA Journals |
| issn | 2041-1723 |
| language | English |
| publishDate | 2025-04-01 |
| publisher | Nature Portfolio |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Nature Communications |
| spelling | doaj-art-36bccb140e124880ba177fcd09064e522025-08-20T02:17:48ZengNature PortfolioNature Communications2041-17232025-04-0116111110.1038/s41467-025-58770-xSpecific selection on XEG1 and XLP1 genes correlates with host range and adaptability in PhytophthoraQi Zhang0Xi Chen1Haixia You2Bing Chen3Liyu Jia4Sizhe Li5Xinyu Zhang6Ji Ma7Xinyi Wu8Kaixiang Wang9Huanshan Liu10Haibin Jiang11Junhua Xiao12Haidong Shu13Zhichao Zhang14Min Qiu15Yeqiang Xia16Han Chen17Yan Wang18Wenwu Ye19Suomeng Dong20Zhenchuan Ma21Yuanchao Wang22Department of Plant Pathology, Nanjing Agricultural UniversityDepartment of Plant Pathology, Nanjing Agricultural UniversityDepartment of Plant Pathology, Nanjing Agricultural UniversityDepartment of Plant Pathology, Nanjing Agricultural UniversityDepartment of Plant Pathology, Nanjing Agricultural UniversityDepartment of Plant Pathology, Nanjing Agricultural UniversityDepartment of Plant Pathology, Nanjing Agricultural UniversityDepartment of Plant Pathology, Nanjing Agricultural UniversityDepartment of Plant Pathology, Nanjing Agricultural UniversityDepartment of Plant Pathology, Nanjing Agricultural UniversityDepartment of Plant Pathology, Nanjing Agricultural UniversityDepartment of Plant Pathology, Nanjing Agricultural UniversityDepartment of Plant Pathology, Nanjing Agricultural UniversityDepartment of Plant Pathology, Nanjing Agricultural UniversityDepartment of Plant Pathology, Nanjing Agricultural UniversityDepartment of Plant Pathology, Nanjing Agricultural UniversityDepartment of Plant Pathology, Nanjing Agricultural UniversityDepartment of Plant Pathology, Nanjing Agricultural UniversityDepartment of Plant Pathology, Nanjing Agricultural UniversityDepartment of Plant Pathology, Nanjing Agricultural UniversityDepartment of Plant Pathology, Nanjing Agricultural UniversityDepartment of Plant Pathology, Nanjing Agricultural UniversityDepartment of Plant Pathology, Nanjing Agricultural UniversityAbstract In diverse Phytophthora-plant pathosystems, Phytophthora secretes XLP1 (PsXEG1-Like Protein), a non-enzymatic paralog that functions as a decoy to protect XEG1 (Xyloglucan-specific Endoglucanase) from host inhibitors. Here, we show that the genus-specific selection pressures on the XEG1/XLP1 gene pair are crucial for host adaptation and are closely linked to Phytophthora host range. Our findings reveal that the XEG1/XLP1 gene pair originated within Phytophthora and subsequently evolved into genus-specific genes, undergoing functional divergence driven by preferential selection. Positive selection sites within the XEG1/XLP1 gene pair in Phytophthora contribute to this functional divergence and are associated with the host range variability of Phytophthora as evidenced by multivariate statistical analyses. Furthermore, mutations at key selection sites in Phytophthora sojae and Phytophthora capsici significantly impair their pathogenicity, with P. capsici exhibiting almost no colonization expansion on tobacco and pea. Notably, natural Phytophthora populations harbor mutations at the positive selection sites, indicating ongoing evolutionary pressures on the XEG1/XLP1 gene pair.https://doi.org/10.1038/s41467-025-58770-x |
| spellingShingle | Qi Zhang Xi Chen Haixia You Bing Chen Liyu Jia Sizhe Li Xinyu Zhang Ji Ma Xinyi Wu Kaixiang Wang Huanshan Liu Haibin Jiang Junhua Xiao Haidong Shu Zhichao Zhang Min Qiu Yeqiang Xia Han Chen Yan Wang Wenwu Ye Suomeng Dong Zhenchuan Ma Yuanchao Wang Specific selection on XEG1 and XLP1 genes correlates with host range and adaptability in Phytophthora Nature Communications |
| title | Specific selection on XEG1 and XLP1 genes correlates with host range and adaptability in Phytophthora |
| title_full | Specific selection on XEG1 and XLP1 genes correlates with host range and adaptability in Phytophthora |
| title_fullStr | Specific selection on XEG1 and XLP1 genes correlates with host range and adaptability in Phytophthora |
| title_full_unstemmed | Specific selection on XEG1 and XLP1 genes correlates with host range and adaptability in Phytophthora |
| title_short | Specific selection on XEG1 and XLP1 genes correlates with host range and adaptability in Phytophthora |
| title_sort | specific selection on xeg1 and xlp1 genes correlates with host range and adaptability in phytophthora |
| url | https://doi.org/10.1038/s41467-025-58770-x |
| work_keys_str_mv | AT qizhang specificselectiononxeg1andxlp1genescorrelateswithhostrangeandadaptabilityinphytophthora AT xichen specificselectiononxeg1andxlp1genescorrelateswithhostrangeandadaptabilityinphytophthora AT haixiayou specificselectiononxeg1andxlp1genescorrelateswithhostrangeandadaptabilityinphytophthora AT bingchen specificselectiononxeg1andxlp1genescorrelateswithhostrangeandadaptabilityinphytophthora AT liyujia specificselectiononxeg1andxlp1genescorrelateswithhostrangeandadaptabilityinphytophthora AT sizheli specificselectiononxeg1andxlp1genescorrelateswithhostrangeandadaptabilityinphytophthora AT xinyuzhang specificselectiononxeg1andxlp1genescorrelateswithhostrangeandadaptabilityinphytophthora AT jima specificselectiononxeg1andxlp1genescorrelateswithhostrangeandadaptabilityinphytophthora AT xinyiwu specificselectiononxeg1andxlp1genescorrelateswithhostrangeandadaptabilityinphytophthora AT kaixiangwang specificselectiononxeg1andxlp1genescorrelateswithhostrangeandadaptabilityinphytophthora AT huanshanliu specificselectiononxeg1andxlp1genescorrelateswithhostrangeandadaptabilityinphytophthora AT haibinjiang specificselectiononxeg1andxlp1genescorrelateswithhostrangeandadaptabilityinphytophthora AT junhuaxiao specificselectiononxeg1andxlp1genescorrelateswithhostrangeandadaptabilityinphytophthora AT haidongshu specificselectiononxeg1andxlp1genescorrelateswithhostrangeandadaptabilityinphytophthora AT zhichaozhang specificselectiononxeg1andxlp1genescorrelateswithhostrangeandadaptabilityinphytophthora AT minqiu specificselectiononxeg1andxlp1genescorrelateswithhostrangeandadaptabilityinphytophthora AT yeqiangxia specificselectiononxeg1andxlp1genescorrelateswithhostrangeandadaptabilityinphytophthora AT hanchen specificselectiononxeg1andxlp1genescorrelateswithhostrangeandadaptabilityinphytophthora AT yanwang specificselectiononxeg1andxlp1genescorrelateswithhostrangeandadaptabilityinphytophthora AT wenwuye specificselectiononxeg1andxlp1genescorrelateswithhostrangeandadaptabilityinphytophthora AT suomengdong specificselectiononxeg1andxlp1genescorrelateswithhostrangeandadaptabilityinphytophthora AT zhenchuanma specificselectiononxeg1andxlp1genescorrelateswithhostrangeandadaptabilityinphytophthora AT yuanchaowang specificselectiononxeg1andxlp1genescorrelateswithhostrangeandadaptabilityinphytophthora |