Plant parasitic nematodes effectors and their crosstalk with defense response of host plants: A battle underground

Abstract

Phytoparasitic nematodes are devastating pests that cause high yield losses in agriculture. A parasitic nematode injects effector molecules into root cells to manipulate the root cell processes. In response, plants activate their immune response against nematodes infection by recognizing the invasion through several different and complementary systems. Genomic techniques have identified putative nematode effector molecules that alter plant cell biology and induce giant cell formation. The nematode effector molecules are identified by plant cell surface recognition receptors, which cause pattern-triggered immunity. Plants recognize damage to a root cell caused by a nematode stylet with a set of molecules identified as a pattern of damage-associated gene expression. The plant immune response to parasitic nematodes includes defense genes activation, signal transduction, etc. In this review, we emphasize the role of nematode molecular effectors in parasitizing roots. We summarize the mechanisms of infection, signal transduction pathways implicated, and the elicited plant immune response.