Tracking the Subtle Mutations Driving Host Sensing by the Plant Pathogen Streptomyces scabies

The acquisition of genetic material conferring the arsenal necessary for host virulence is a prerequisite on the path to becoming a plant pathogen. More subtle mutations are also required for the perception of cues signifying the presence of the target host and optimal conditions for colonization. T...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:mSphere 2017-03, Vol.2 (2)
Main Authors: Jourdan, Samuel, Francis, Isolde M, Deflandre, Benoit, Loria, Rosemary, Rigali, Sébastien
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Life sciences
Microbiologie
Microbiology
Opinion/Hypothesis
Sciences du vivant
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Summary:The acquisition of genetic material conferring the arsenal necessary for host virulence is a prerequisite on the path to becoming a plant pathogen. More subtle mutations are also required for the perception of cues signifying the presence of the target host and optimal conditions for colonization. The decision to activate the pathogenic lifestyle is not "taken lightly" and involves efficient systems monitoring environmental conditions. But how can a pathogen trigger the expression of virulence genes in a timely manner if the main signal inducing its pathogenic behavior originates from cellulose, the most abundant polysaccharide on earth? This situation is encountered by , which is responsible for common scab disease on tuber and root crops. We propose here a series of hypotheses of how could optimally distinguish whether cello-oligosaccharides originate from decomposing lignocellulose (nutrient sources, saprophyte) or, instead, emanate from living and expanding plant tissue (virulence signals, pathogen) and accordingly adapt its physiological response.
ISSN:2379-5042
2379-5042
DOI:10.1128/mSphere.00367-16