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Haq, I. U.; Khan, M.; Khan, I.;Phytopathological management through bacteriophages: enhancing food security amidst climate changeJournal of Industrial Microbiology and Biotechnology51kuae031(2024)DOI: 10.1093/jimb/kuae031
The increasing global population and climate change pose significant challenges to agriculture, particularly in managing plant diseases caused by phytopathogens. Traditional methods, including chemical pesticides and antibiotics, have become less effective due to pathogen resistance and environmental concerns. Phage therapy emerges as a promising alternative, offering a sustainable and precise approach to controlling plant bacterial diseases without harming beneficial soil microorganisms. This review explores the potential of bacteriophages as biocontrol agents, highlighting their specificity, rapid multiplication, and minimal environmental impact. We discuss the historical context, current applications, and prospects of phage therapy in agriculture, emphasizing its role in enhancing crop yield and quality. Additionally, the paper examines the integration of phage therapy with modern agricultural practices and the development phage cocktails and genetically engineered phages to combat resistant pathogens. The findings suggest that phage therapy could revolutionize phytopathological management, contributing to global food security and sustainable agricultural practices.
One-Sentence Summary
The burden of plant diseases and phage-based phytopathological treatment.Graphical abstract
Publikation
Dunken, N.; Widmer, H.; Balcke, G. U.; Straube, H.; Langen, G.; Charura, N. M.; Saake, P.; De Quattro, C.; Schön, J.; Rovenich, H.; Wawra, S.; Khan, M.; Djamei, A.; Zurbriggen, M. D.; Tissier, A.; Witte, C.-P.; Zuccaro, A.;A nucleoside signal generated by a fungal endophyte regulates host cell death and promotes root colonizationCell Host & Microbe322161-2177(2024)DOI: 10.1016/j.chom.2024.10.020
The intracellular colonization of plant roots by the beneficial fungal endophyte Serendipita indica follows a biphasic strategy, including a host cell death phase that enables successful colonization of Arabidopsis thaliana roots. How host cell death is initiated and controlled is largely unknown. Here, we show that two fungal enzymes, the ecto-50-nucleotidase SiE5NT and the nuclease SiNucA, act synergistically in the apoplast at the onset of cell death to produce deoxyadenosine (dAdo). The uptake of extracellular dAdo but not the structurally related adenosine activates cell death via the equilibrative nucleoside transporter ENT3. We identified a previously uncharacterized Toll-like interleukin 1 receptor (TIR)-nucleotide-binding leucine-rich repeat receptor (NLR) protein, ISI (induced by S. indica), as an intracellular factor that affects host cell death, fungal colonization, and growth promotion. Our data show that the combined activity of two fungal apoplastic enzymes promotes the production of a metabolite that engages TIR-NLR-modulated pathways to induce plant cell death, providing a link to immunometabolism in plants.Graphical abstract