Secreted pectin monooxygenases drive plant infection by pathogenic oomycetes

DOI: 10.1126/science.abj1342

Authors: Federico Sabbadin (University of York) , Saioa Urresti (University of York) , Bernard Henrissat (Architecture et Fonction des Macromolécules Biologiques (AFMB), UMR 7257 CNRS, Université Aix-Marseille) , Anna O. Avrova (James Hutton Institute) , Lydia R. J. Welsh (James Hutton Institute) , Peter J. Lindley (University of York) , Michael Csukai (Syngenta) , Julie N. Squires (James Hutton Institute) , Paul H. Walton (University of York) , Gideon J. Davies (University of York) , Neil C. Bruce (University of York) , Stephen C. Whisson (James Hutton Institute) , Simon J. Mcqueen-Mason (University of York)
Co-authored by industrial partner: Yes

Type: Journal Paper
Journal: Science , VOL 373 , PAGES 774 - 779

State: Published (Approved)
Published: August 2021
Diamond Proposal Number(s): 9948

Abstract: The oomycete Phytophthora infestans is a damaging crop pathogen and a model organism to study plant-pathogen interactions. We report the discovery of a family of copper-dependent lytic polysaccharide monooxygenases (LPMOs) in plant pathogenic oomycetes and its role in plant infection by P. infestans. We show that LPMO-encoding genes are up-regulated early during infection and that the secreted enzymes oxidatively cleave the backbone of pectin, a charged polysaccharide in the plant cell wall. The crystal structure of the most abundant of these LPMOs sheds light on its ability to recognize and degrade pectin, and silencing the encoding gene in P. infestans inhibits infection of potato, indicating a role in host penetration. The identification of LPMOs as virulence factors in pathogenic oomycetes opens up opportunities in crop protection and food security.

Subject Areas: Biology and Bio-materials


Instruments: I04-Macromolecular Crystallography

Added On: 13/08/2021 08:41

Discipline Tags:

Plant science Pathogens Biotech & Biological Systems Agriculture & Fisheries Structural biology Life Sciences & Biotech

Technical Tags:

Diffraction Macromolecular Crystallography (MX)