Host autophagy is a shared target of virulence factors of Phytophthora infestans and Plasmodium parasite

Abstract

AbstractPhytophthora infestans and Plasmodium are extremely harmful and economically important pathogens. Although they belong to distinct groups and infect very different hosts, P. infestans and Plasmodium display some common similarities. Such as they are closely related phylogenetically and have similarities in the strategies they use for the evasion or suppression of host defences, etc. In addition, both pathogens produce abundant effector proteins that confer enhanced pathogenicity and adaptability. The P. infestans RxLR (Arg‐X‐Leu‐Arg) effector protein shares a conserved host‐targeting motif with the Plasmodium PEXEL‐containing export protein. In this review, we focused on the common distribution features of P. infestans RxLR genes and Plasmodium virulence factor genes in genomes, comparative analysis of the both types of virulence proteins secretion and translocation processes, and description of their molecular functions. We highlight the convergent evolutionary characteristics of P. infestans RxLR effector protein and Plasmodium virulence factor in mediating the autophagy process of host cells. This review will present and discuss current research challenges and opportunities for future research to get better understanding and insights by investigating pathogen effector–host interactions.