title: Life cycle specialization of filamentous pathogens - colonization and reproduction in plant tissues.
abstract: Filamentous plant pathogens explore host tissues to obtain nutrients for growth and reproduction. Diverse strategies for tissue invasion, defense manipulation, and colonization of inter and intra-cellular spaces have evolved. Most research has focused on effector molecules, which are secreted to manipulate plant immunity and facilitate infection. Effector genes are often found to evolve rapidly in response to the antagonistic host-pathogen co-evolution but other traits are also subject to adaptive evolution during specialization to the anatomy, biochemistry and ecology of different plant hosts. Although not directly related to virulence, these traits are important components of specialization but little is known about them. We present and discuss specific life cycle traits that facilitate exploration of plant tissues and underline the importance of increasing our insight into the biology of plant pathogens.
authors.affiliation: Environmental Genomics Group, Max Planck Institute for Evolutionary Biology, August-Thienemann-Str. 2, 24306 Plön, Germany; Christian-Albrechts University Kiel, Am Botanischen Garten 1-11, 24118 Kiel, Germany.
authors.forename: Janine
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Haueisen
authors.affiliation: Environmental Genomics Group, Max Planck Institute for Evolutionary Biology, August-Thienemann-Str. 2, 24306 Plön, Germany; Christian-Albrechts University Kiel, Am Botanischen Garten 1-11, 24118 Kiel, Germany. Electronic address: estukenbrock@bot.uni-kiel.de.
authors.forename: Eva H
authors.initials: EH
authors.lastname: Stukenbrock
mesh_terms: D001419:Bacteria / Q000472:pathogenicity; D005658:Fungi / Q000472:pathogenicity; D054884:Host-Pathogen Interactions / Q000276:immunology*; D008018:Life Cycle Stages; D010935:Plant Diseases / Q000276:immunology / Q000382:microbiology*; D057865:Plant Immunity / Q000502:physiology*; D010944:Plants / Q000276:immunology* / Q000382:microbiology*; D037521:Virulence Factors / Q000235:genetics
chemical_list: D037521:Virulence Factors