Abstract
Neofusicoccum parvum belongs to the Botryosphaeriaceae family, which contains endophytes and pathogens of woody plants. In this study, we isolated 11 strains from diseased tissue of Liquidambar styraciflua. Testing with Koch’s postulates—followed by a molecular approach—revealed that N. parvum was the most pathogenic strain. We established an in vitro pathosystem (L. styraciflua foliar tissue–N. parvum) in order to characterize the infection process during the first 16 days. New CysRPs were identified for both organisms using public transcriptomic and genomic databases, while mRNA expression of CysRPs was analyzed by RT-qPCR. The results showed that N. parvum caused disease symptoms after 24 h that intensified over time. Through in silico analysis, 5 CysRPs were identified for each organism, revealing that all of the proteins are potentially secreted and novel, including two of N. parvum proteins containing the CFEM domain. Interestingly, the levels of the CysRPs mRNAs change during the interaction. This study reports N. parvum as a pathogen of L. styraciflua for the first time and highlights the potential involvement of CysRPs in both organisms during this interaction.
Highlights
A current challenge in the area of plant–pathogen interactions is to comprehensively understand the molecular mechanisms involved in the defense response of plants against a specific pathogen
The potential pathogenicity of the fungi was tested in L. styraciflua leaves and in seedlings of the model plant, A. thaliana (Figures 1 and S1)
We showed that N. parvum is an aggressive pathogen of L. styraciflua
Summary
A current challenge in the area of plant–pathogen interactions is to comprehensively understand the molecular mechanisms involved in the defense response of plants against a specific pathogen. Neofusicoccum parvum belongs to the Botryosphaeria genus and has been recognized as a widespread pathogen worldwide [2], causing damage to a wide range of hosts, including agricultural, horticultural, and forestry plants. (Altingiaceae) is a deciduous timber tree native to the Americas that is distributed in localized regions in North and Central America [21], and has been widely introduced in eastern and central China [22]. This tree, commonly known as American sweetgum, is an attractive hardwood species for potential bioenergy production [23] and is often used for reforestation, agroforestry, and landscaping [24]
Sign-in/Register to view highlights & summary Sign-in/Register to access full text options 
Free) 
Talk to us
Join us for a 30 min session where you can share your feedback and ask us any queries you have
Schedule a call
