1. Plant-Derived, Nodule-Specific Cysteine-Rich Peptides as a Novel Source of Biopesticides for Controlling Citrus Greening Disease.
- Author
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Higgins SA, Igwe DO, Coradetti S, Ramsey JS, DeBlasio SL, Pitino M, Shatters RG Jr, Niedz R, Fleites LA, and Heck M
- Subjects
- Cysteine, Hemiptera microbiology, Biological Control Agents, Plant Leaves microbiology, Plant Proteins genetics, Plant Proteins metabolism, Liberibacter genetics, Animals, Rhizobiaceae genetics, Plant Diseases microbiology, Plant Diseases prevention & control, Citrus microbiology, Peptides chemistry, Peptides metabolism, Medicago truncatula microbiology
- Abstract
Nodule-specific cysteine-rich (NCR) peptides, encoded in the genome of the Mediterranean legume Medicago truncatula (barrelclover), are known to regulate plant-microbe interactions. A subset of computationally derived 20-mer peptide fragments from 182 NCR peptides was synthesized to identify those with activity against the unculturable vascular pathogen associated with citrus greening disease, ' Candidatus Liberibacter asiaticus' ( C Las). Grounded in a design of experiments framework, we evaluated the peptides in a screening pipeline involving three distinct assays: a bacterial culture assay with Liberibacter crescens , a C Las-infected excised citrus leaf assay, and an assay to evaluate effects on bacterial acquisition by the nymphal stage of hemipteran vector Diaphorina citri. A subset of the 20-mer NCR peptide fragments inhibits both C Las growth in citrus leaves and C Las acquisition by D. citri . Two peptides induced higher levels of D. citri mortality. These findings reveal 20-mer NCR peptides as a new class of plant-derived biopesticide molecules to control citrus greening disease.
- Published
- 2024
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