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Tools of the crook‐ infection strategies of fungal plant pathogens
Author(s) -
RodriguezMoreno Luis,
Ebert Malaika K.,
Bolton Melvin D.,
Thomma Bart P.H.J.
Publication year - 2018
Publication title -
the plant journal
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 3.058
H-Index - 269
eISSN - 1365-313X
pISSN - 0960-7412
DOI - 10.1111/tpj.13810
Subject(s) - biology , effector , host (biology) , secretion , colonization , microorganism , microbiology and biotechnology , ecology , bacteria , genetics , biochemistry
Summary Fungi represent an ecologically diverse group of microorganisms that includes plant pathogenic species able to cause considerable yield loses in crop production systems worldwide. In order to establish compatible interactions with their hosts, pathogenic fungi rely on the secretion of molecules of diverse nature during host colonization to modulate host physiology, manipulate other environmental factors or provide self‐defence. These molecules, collectively known as effectors, are typically small secreted cysteine‐rich proteins, but may also comprise secondary metabolites and sRNA s. Here, we discuss the most common strategies that fungal plant pathogens employ to subvert their host plants in order to successfully complete their life cycle and secure the release of abundant viable progeny.