Modulating host homeostasis as a strategy in the plant-pathogen arms race.
In plant-pathogen interactions, pathogens aim to overcome host defense responses while plants employ a battery of responses to limit pathogen growth and thus disease. In this "arms race" between hosts and pathogens, horizontal gene transfer is a potent source of 'pathogenic innovation' for viruses and bacteria. However, bacteria rarely acquire 'eukaryotic-like' genes from their hosts, and where they appear to, evidence for a role of the acquired genes remains outstanding. We have recently reported experimental evidence that the citrus canker causing pathogen Xanthomonas axonopodis pv. citri contains a plant natriuretic peptide-like gene (XacPNP) that encodes a protein that modulates host homeostasis to its advantage. We argue that Xanthomonas PNP has been acquired in an ancient horizontal gene transfer, and given that plant and bacterial PNPs trigger a number of similar physiological responses, we make a case of molecular mimicry. Released XacPNP mimics host PNP and results in a suppressed host response, "improved" host tissue health and consequently better pathogen survival in the lesions. Finally, we propose that Xanthomonas axonopodis pv. citri host interactions can serve as model system to study the role of host homeostasis in plant defense against biotrophic pathogens.
Gottig
Natalia
N
Molecular Biology Division; Instituto de Biología Molecular y Celular de Rosario; Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Cieníficas y Técnicas; Facultad de Ciencias Bioquímicas y Farmacéuticas; Universidad Nacional de Rosario; Rosario, Argentina.
Garavaglia
Betiana S
BS
Daurelio
Lucas D
LD
Valentine
Alex
A
Gehring
Chris
C
Orellano
Elena G
EG
Ottado
Jorgelina
J
Proteomics. 2005 Jan;5(1):212-21
15593128
BMC Evol Biol. 2007 Jun 11;7:89
17562012
BMC Evol Biol. 2004 Mar 24;4:10
15038836
J Exp Bot. 2007;58(15-16):4019-26
18182420
Cell Mol Life Sci. 1998 Mar;54(3):272-6
9575339
Nat Genet. 2004 Nov;36(11):1165-73
15467720
BMC Plant Biol. 2008 Feb 29;8:24
18307823
Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A. 2008 Nov 25;105(47):18631-6
19015524
Nature. 2006 Nov 16;444(7117):323-9
17108957
FEBS Lett. 2004 Jan 2;556(1-3):99-103
14706834
Mol Biol Evol. 1999 Apr;16(4):429-40
10331270
Nature. 2007 Oct 18;449(7164):835-42
17943120
Plant Cell Physiol. 2004 Aug;45(8):1093-8
15356335
Int J Biochem Cell Biol. 2003 Sep;35(9):1318-22
12798346
Cell. 2006 Feb 24;124(4):803-14
16497589
J Exp Bot. 2003 Jun;54(387):1553-64
12730261
J Bacteriol. 2005 Nov;187(22):7716-26
16267296
Mol Cell Biol Res Commun. 1999 Jul;2(1):53-7
10527892
Curr Biol. 2006 Sep 19;16(18):1857-64
16979565