Plants interfere with non-self recognition of a phytopathogenic fungus via proline accumulation to facilitate mycovirus transmission

Abstract Non-self recognition is a fundamental aspect of life, serving as a crucial mechanism for mitigating proliferation of molecular parasites within fungal populations. However, studies investigating the potential interference of plants with fungal non-self recognition mechanisms are limited. He...

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Main Authors: Du Hai, Jincang Li, Daohong Jiang, Jiasen Cheng, Yanping Fu, Xueqiong Xiao, Huanran Yin, Yang Lin, Tao Chen, Bo Li, Xiao Yu, Qing Cai, Wei Chen, Ioly Kotta-Loizou, Jiatao Xie
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Nature Portfolio 2024-06-01
Series:Nature Communications
Online Access:https://doi.org/10.1038/s41467-024-49110-6
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author Du Hai
Jincang Li
Daohong Jiang
Jiasen Cheng
Yanping Fu
Xueqiong Xiao
Huanran Yin
Yang Lin
Tao Chen
Bo Li
Xiao Yu
Qing Cai
Wei Chen
Ioly Kotta-Loizou
Jiatao Xie
author_facet Du Hai
Jincang Li
Daohong Jiang
Jiasen Cheng
Yanping Fu
Xueqiong Xiao
Huanran Yin
Yang Lin
Tao Chen
Bo Li
Xiao Yu
Qing Cai
Wei Chen
Ioly Kotta-Loizou
Jiatao Xie
author_sort Du Hai
collection DOAJ
description Abstract Non-self recognition is a fundamental aspect of life, serving as a crucial mechanism for mitigating proliferation of molecular parasites within fungal populations. However, studies investigating the potential interference of plants with fungal non-self recognition mechanisms are limited. Here, we demonstrate a pronounced increase in the efficiency of horizontal mycovirus transmission between vegetatively incompatible Sclerotinia sclerotiorum strains in planta as compared to in vitro. This increased efficiency is associated with elevated proline concentration in plants following S. sclerotiorum infection. This surge in proline levels attenuates the non-self recognition reaction among fungi by inhibition of cell death, thereby facilitating mycovirus transmission. Furthermore, our field experiments reveal that the combined deployment of hypovirulent S. sclerotiorum strains harboring hypovirulence-associated mycoviruses (HAVs) together with exogenous proline confers substantial protection to oilseed rape plants against virulent S. sclerotiorum. This unprecedented discovery illuminates a novel pathway by which plants can counteract S. sclerotiorum infection, leveraging the weakening of fungal non-self recognition and promotion of HAVs spread. These promising insights provide an avenue to explore for developing innovative biological control strategies aimed at mitigating fungal diseases in plants by enhancing the efficacy of horizontal HAV transmission.
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institution Kabale University
issn 2041-1723
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publishDate 2024-06-01
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series Nature Communications
spelling doaj-art-3d45ee3a5ba04666b03c535ebec7e5fc2025-08-20T03:43:11ZengNature PortfolioNature Communications2041-17232024-06-0115111310.1038/s41467-024-49110-6Plants interfere with non-self recognition of a phytopathogenic fungus via proline accumulation to facilitate mycovirus transmissionDu Hai0Jincang Li1Daohong Jiang2Jiasen Cheng3Yanping Fu4Xueqiong Xiao5Huanran Yin6Yang Lin7Tao Chen8Bo Li9Xiao Yu10Qing Cai11Wei Chen12Ioly Kotta-Loizou13Jiatao Xie14National Key Laboratory of Agricultural Microbiology, Huazhong Agricultural UniversityNational Key Laboratory of Agricultural Microbiology, Huazhong Agricultural UniversityNational Key Laboratory of Agricultural Microbiology, Huazhong Agricultural UniversityNational Key Laboratory of Agricultural Microbiology, Huazhong Agricultural UniversityNational Key Laboratory of Agricultural Microbiology, Huazhong Agricultural UniversityNational Key Laboratory of Agricultural Microbiology, Huazhong Agricultural UniversityNational Key Laboratory of Crop Genetic Improvement and National Center of Plant Gene Research (Wuhan), Huazhong Agricultural UniversityNational Key Laboratory of Agricultural Microbiology, Huazhong Agricultural UniversityNational Key Laboratory of Agricultural Microbiology, Huazhong Agricultural UniversityNational Key Laboratory of Agricultural Microbiology, Huazhong Agricultural UniversityNational Key Laboratory of Agricultural Microbiology, Huazhong Agricultural UniversityNational Key Laboratory of Agricultural Microbiology, Huazhong Agricultural UniversityNational Key Laboratory of Crop Genetic Improvement and National Center of Plant Gene Research (Wuhan), Huazhong Agricultural UniversitySchool of Life and Medical Sciences, University of HertfordshireNational Key Laboratory of Agricultural Microbiology, Huazhong Agricultural UniversityAbstract Non-self recognition is a fundamental aspect of life, serving as a crucial mechanism for mitigating proliferation of molecular parasites within fungal populations. However, studies investigating the potential interference of plants with fungal non-self recognition mechanisms are limited. Here, we demonstrate a pronounced increase in the efficiency of horizontal mycovirus transmission between vegetatively incompatible Sclerotinia sclerotiorum strains in planta as compared to in vitro. This increased efficiency is associated with elevated proline concentration in plants following S. sclerotiorum infection. This surge in proline levels attenuates the non-self recognition reaction among fungi by inhibition of cell death, thereby facilitating mycovirus transmission. Furthermore, our field experiments reveal that the combined deployment of hypovirulent S. sclerotiorum strains harboring hypovirulence-associated mycoviruses (HAVs) together with exogenous proline confers substantial protection to oilseed rape plants against virulent S. sclerotiorum. This unprecedented discovery illuminates a novel pathway by which plants can counteract S. sclerotiorum infection, leveraging the weakening of fungal non-self recognition and promotion of HAVs spread. These promising insights provide an avenue to explore for developing innovative biological control strategies aimed at mitigating fungal diseases in plants by enhancing the efficacy of horizontal HAV transmission.https://doi.org/10.1038/s41467-024-49110-6
spellingShingle Du Hai
Jincang Li
Daohong Jiang
Jiasen Cheng
Yanping Fu
Xueqiong Xiao
Huanran Yin
Yang Lin
Tao Chen
Bo Li
Xiao Yu
Qing Cai
Wei Chen
Ioly Kotta-Loizou
Jiatao Xie
Plants interfere with non-self recognition of a phytopathogenic fungus via proline accumulation to facilitate mycovirus transmission
Nature Communications
title Plants interfere with non-self recognition of a phytopathogenic fungus via proline accumulation to facilitate mycovirus transmission
title_full Plants interfere with non-self recognition of a phytopathogenic fungus via proline accumulation to facilitate mycovirus transmission
title_fullStr Plants interfere with non-self recognition of a phytopathogenic fungus via proline accumulation to facilitate mycovirus transmission
title_full_unstemmed Plants interfere with non-self recognition of a phytopathogenic fungus via proline accumulation to facilitate mycovirus transmission
title_short Plants interfere with non-self recognition of a phytopathogenic fungus via proline accumulation to facilitate mycovirus transmission
title_sort plants interfere with non self recognition of a phytopathogenic fungus via proline accumulation to facilitate mycovirus transmission
url https://doi.org/10.1038/s41467-024-49110-6
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