Abstract
Plant pathogens display impressive versatility in adapting to host immune systems. Pathogen effector proteins facilitate disease but can become avirulence (Avr) factors when the host acquires discrete recognition capabilities that trigger immunity. The mechanisms that lead to changes to pathogen Avr factors that enable escape from host immunity are diverse, and include epigenetic switches that allow for reuse or recycling of effectors. This perspective outlines possibilities of how epigenetic control of Avr effector gene expression may have arisen and persisted in filamentous plant pathogens, and how it presents special problems for diagnosis and detection of specific pathogen strains or pathotypes.
Highlights
In our material world, everyone faces the dilemma of what to keep and discard as priorities and needs change over time
Genes and other genetic elements can be sorted, deleted, retained, and regulated within a genome in a way that maximizes survivorship in the future. This is the concept briefly explored here, using the example of effector proteins from filamentous plant pathogens that interact with host plant immune systems
An asset can become a liability when host plant immune systems evolve recognition capabilities that home in on effectors as triggers to activate robust defense responses that arrest pathogen growth (Dangl et al, 2013). In such cases of effector triggered immunity (ETI), the pathogen effector responsible for host immune activation is known as an avirulence (Avr) factor
Summary
Reviewed by: Guus Bakkeren, Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada, Canada Barbara Valent, Kansas State University, USA. Plant pathogens display impressive versatility in adapting to host immune systems. Pathogen effector proteins facilitate disease but can become avirulence (Avr) factors when the host acquires discrete recognition capabilities that trigger immunity. The mechanisms that lead to changes to pathogen Avr factors that enable escape from host immunity are diverse, and include epigenetic switches that allow for reuse or recycling of effectors. This perspective outlines possibilities of how epigenetic control of Avr effector gene expression may have arisen and persisted in filamentous plant pathogens, and how it presents special problems for diagnosis and detection of specific pathogen strains or pathotypes
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