Type III Effector Diversification in Pseudomonas syringae
Author Information
Author(s): Ma Wenbo, Dong Frederick F. T, Stavrinides John, Guttman David S
Primary Institution: University of Toronto
Hypothesis
How does the HopZ family of type III secreted effectors evolve in response to coevolutionary selective pressures imposed by plant hosts?
Conclusion
The P. syringae HopZ family has diversified through both pathoadaptive mutations and horizontal gene transfer, allowing the pathogen to evade host defenses.
Supporting Evidence
- The HopZ family of T3SEs in P. syringae shows significant genetic diversity.
- Three homologs of the HopZ family were identified in approximately 45% of the strains surveyed.
- Positive selection was detected in the C terminus of HopZ1, indicating adaptive evolution.
- Transgenic strains carrying the ancestral hopZ1a allele elicited a hypersensitive response in their respective plant hosts.
Takeaway
Bacteria and plants are like two kids in a game of tag, where the bacteria try to find new ways to sneak past the plant's defenses, and the plants try to get better at catching them.
Methodology
The study involved sampling and analyzing 96 P. syringae isolates, sequencing alleles, and conducting phylogenetic and evolutionary analyses.
Potential Biases
Potential bias in sampling may affect the generalizability of the findings.
Limitations
The study primarily focuses on a specific gene family and may not encompass all mechanisms of pathogen evolution.
Participant Demographics
The study analyzed isolates from various plant hosts worldwide.
Statistical Information
P-Value
p<0.0001
Statistical Significance
p<0.0001
Digital Object Identifier (DOI)
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