Glucosylation of endogenous haustorium-inducing factors underpins kin avoidance in parasitic plants.
Saved in:
| Title: | Glucosylation of endogenous haustorium-inducing factors underpins kin avoidance in parasitic plants. |
|---|---|
| Authors: | Xiang, Lei, Cui, Songkui, Saucet, Simon B., Takahashi, Moe, Inaba, Shoko, Xie, Bing, Schilder, Mario, Shimada, Shota, Cui, Mengqi, Li, Yanmei, Watanabe, Mutsumi, Tobimatsu, Yuki, Bouwmeester, Harro J., Tohge, Takayuki, Shirasu, Ken, Yoshida, Satoko |
| Source: | Science. 10/23/2025, Vol. 390 Issue 6771, p405-410. 6p. |
| Subjects: | Haustoria, Parasitic plants, Glycosyltransferases, Arabidopsis, Orobanchaceae |
| Abstract: | Parasitic plants rarely attack themselves, suggesting the existence of a kin-avoidance mechanism. In the root parasitic plant Phtheirospermum japonicum, prehaustorium formation is triggered by host-secreted haustorium-inducing factors (HIFs), but it is unresponsive to its own exudates. Here we report the identification of the spontaneous prehaustorium 1 (spoh1) mutant, which forms prehaustoria without external host signals. spoh1 harbors a point mutation in the gene encoding uridine diphosphate–glucosyltransferase UGT72B1, an enzyme that glucosylates and thereby inactivates phenolic HIFs. PjUGT72B1 has a different substrate specificity than its ortholog of the host Arabidopsis. Introduction of PjUGT72B1 into Arabidopsis reduced prehaustorium induction activity, indicating that UGT72B1 regulates haustorium induction by hosts. Our findings suggest that Orobanchaceae hemiparasitic plants have evolved kin-avoidance mechanisms through the glucosylation of endogenous HIFs. Editor's summary: Parasitic plants can be devastating to crops. Plants in the Orobanchaceae family are typically parasitic but rarely parasitize their own or closely related species. Xiang et al. identified an enzyme in the parasitic plant Phtheirospermum japonicum that conjugates sugars to phenolic compounds involved in stimulating the formation of the parasitic organ called the haustorium (see the Perspective by Runo). By inactivating its own haustorium-inducing factors, the parasitic plant ensures that it will not infect itself or its kin. By comparison, the sugar-conjugation enzyme in the model mustard family plant Arabidopsis thaliana has different substrate specificity, meaning that haustorium-inducing phenolics remain active and the plant can be parasitized. —Madeleine Seale [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR] |
| Copyright of Science is the property of American Association for the Advancement of Science and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites without the copyright holder's express written permission. Additionally, content may not be used with any artificial intelligence tools or machine learning technologies. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.) | |
| Database: | Psychology and Behavioral Sciences Collection |
|
Full text is not displayed to guests.
Login for full access.
|
|
| Abstract: | Parasitic plants rarely attack themselves, suggesting the existence of a kin-avoidance mechanism. In the root parasitic plant Phtheirospermum japonicum, prehaustorium formation is triggered by host-secreted haustorium-inducing factors (HIFs), but it is unresponsive to its own exudates. Here we report the identification of the spontaneous prehaustorium 1 (spoh1) mutant, which forms prehaustoria without external host signals. spoh1 harbors a point mutation in the gene encoding uridine diphosphate–glucosyltransferase UGT72B1, an enzyme that glucosylates and thereby inactivates phenolic HIFs. PjUGT72B1 has a different substrate specificity than its ortholog of the host Arabidopsis. Introduction of PjUGT72B1 into Arabidopsis reduced prehaustorium induction activity, indicating that UGT72B1 regulates haustorium induction by hosts. Our findings suggest that Orobanchaceae hemiparasitic plants have evolved kin-avoidance mechanisms through the glucosylation of endogenous HIFs. Editor's summary: Parasitic plants can be devastating to crops. Plants in the Orobanchaceae family are typically parasitic but rarely parasitize their own or closely related species. Xiang et al. identified an enzyme in the parasitic plant Phtheirospermum japonicum that conjugates sugars to phenolic compounds involved in stimulating the formation of the parasitic organ called the haustorium (see the Perspective by Runo). By inactivating its own haustorium-inducing factors, the parasitic plant ensures that it will not infect itself or its kin. By comparison, the sugar-conjugation enzyme in the model mustard family plant Arabidopsis thaliana has different substrate specificity, meaning that haustorium-inducing phenolics remain active and the plant can be parasitized. —Madeleine Seale [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR] |
|---|---|
| ISSN: | 00368075 |
| DOI: | 10.1126/science.adx8220 |
