Virulent strains of Zymoseptoria tritici suppress the host immune response and facilitate the success of avirulent strains in mixed infections

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Date
2023-11Type
- Journal Article
Abstract
Plants interact with a plethora of pathogenic microorganisms in nature. Pathogen-plant interaction experiments focus mainly on single-strain infections, typically ignoring the complexity of multi-strain infections even though mixed infections are common and critical for the infection outcome. The wheat pathogen Zymoseptoria tritici forms highly diverse fungal populations in which several pathogen strains often colonize the same leaf. Despite the importance of mixed infections, the mechanisms governing interactions between a mixture of pathogen strains within a plant host remain largely unexplored. Here we demonstrate that avirulent pathogen strains benefit from being in mixed infections with virulent strains. We show that virulent strains suppress the wheat immune response, allowing avirulent strains to colonize the apoplast and to reproduce. Our experiments indicate that virulent strains in mixed infections can suppress the plant immune system, probably facilitating the persistence of avirulent pathogen strains in fields planted with resistant host plants. Show more
Permanent link
https://doi.org/10.3929/ethz-b-000649282Publication status
publishedExternal links
Journal / series
PLoS PathogensVolume
Pages / Article No.
Publisher
PLOSOrganisational unit
03516 - McDonald, Bruce / McDonald, Bruce
03970 - De Moraes, Consuelo / De Moraes, Consuelo
Funding
ETH-23 15-2 - The effect of mixed-infections on disease development in the wheat pathogen Zymoseptoria tritici (ETHZ)
209022 - Evolvability potential and constraints for a major wheat pathogen (SNF)
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