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A fungal effector suppresses the nuclear export of AGO1–miRNA complex to promote infection in plants.

Authors :
Chen Zhu
Jia-Hui Liu
Jian-Hua Zhao
Ting Liu
Yun-Ya Chen
Chun-Han Wang
Zhong-Hui Zhang
Hui-Shan Guo
Cheng-Guo Duan
Source :
Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America. 3/22/2022, Vol. 119 Issue 12, p1-12. 12p.
Publication Year :
2022

Abstract

Communication between interacting organisms via bioactive molecules is widespread in nature and plays key roles in diverse biological processes. Small RNAs (sRNAs) can travel between host plants and filamentous pathogens to trigger transkingdom RNA interference (RNAi) in recipient cells and modulate plant defense and pathogen virulence. However, how fungal pathogens counteract transkingdom antifungal RNAi has rarely been reported. Here we show that a secretory protein VdSSR1 (secretory silencing repressor 1) from Verticillium dahliae, a soil-borne phytopathogenic fungus that causes wilt diseases in a wide range of plant hosts, is required for fungal virulence in plants. VdSSR1 can translocate to plant nucleus and serve as a general suppressor of sRNA nucleocytoplasmic shuttling. We further reveal that VdSSR1 sequesters ALY family proteins, adaptors of the TREX complex, to interfere with nuclear export of the AGO1–microRNA (AGO1–miRNA) complex, leading to a great attenuation in cytoplasmic AGO1 protein and sRNA levels. With this mechanism, V. dahliae can suppress the accumulation of mobile plant miRNAs in fungal cells and succedent transkingdom silencing of virulence genes, thereby increasing its virulence in plants. Our findings reveal a mechanism by which phytopathogenic fungi antagonize antifungal RNAidependent plant immunity and expand the understanding on the complex interaction between host and filamentous pathogens. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Details

Language :
English
ISSN :
00278424
Volume :
119
Issue :
12
Database :
Academic Search Index
Journal :
Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America
Publication Type :
Academic Journal
Accession number :
156167741
Full Text :
https://doi.org/10.1073/pnas.2114583119