Biology subjects

Codjoe, J. M.

Publications and source records attributed to Codjoe, J. M..

4 recordsLinked to original sources

bioRxiv2023

Small cationic cysteine-rich defensin-derived antifungal peptide controls white mold in soybean

White mold disease caused by a necrotrophic ascomycete pathogen Sclerotinia sclerotiorum results in serious economic losses of soybean yield in the USA. Lack of effective genetic resistance to this disease in soybean germplasm and increasing pathogen resistance to fungicides makes white mold difficult to manage. Small cysteine-rich antifungal peptides with multi-faceted modes of action hold potential for development as sustainable spray-on bio-fungicides. We have previously reported that GMA4CG_V6 peptide, a 17-amino acid variant of the MtDef4 defensin-derived peptide GMA4CG containing the active {gamma}-core motif, exhibits potent antifungal activity against the gray mold fungal pathogen Botrytis cinerea in vitro and in planta. This peptide exhibited antifungal activity against an aggressive field isolate of S. sclerotiorum 555 in vitro. It markedly reduced white mold disease symptoms when applied to detached soybean leaves, pods, and stems. Spray-application on soybean plants provided robust control of the white mold disease. GMA4CG_V6 at sub-lethal concentrations reduced sclerotia production. It was also non-phytotoxic to soybean plants. Our results demonstrate that GMA4CG_V6 peptide has high potential for development as a bio-fungicide for white mold control in soybean.

plant biology↗

bioRxiv2022

The soluble N-termini of mechanosensitive ion channels MSL8, MSL9, and MSL10 are environmentally sensitive intrinsically disordered regions with distinct biophysical characteristics

Intrinsically disordered protein regions (IDRs) are highly dynamic sequences that rapidly sample a collection of conformations. In the past several decades, IDRs have emerged as a core component of many proteomes, comprising [~]30% of all eukaryotic protein sequences. IDRs are ubiquitous throughout different biological pathways, with a notable enrichment in responses to environmental stimuli such as abiotic stress. However, the diversity of IDR-based systems that biology has evolved to respond to different stimuli is expansive, warranting the exploration of IDRs present in unique molecular contexts. Here, we identify and characterize intrinsic disorder in the soluble, cytoplasmic N-terminal domains of three members of the MscS-Like (MSL) family of mechanosensitive ion channels, MSL8, MSL9 and MSL10. In plants, MSL channels are proposed to mediate the reactions to cell swelling, pathogenic invasion, and touch. A series of bioinformatic tools unanimously predicted that the cytosolic N-termini of MSLs are intrinsically disordered. We confirmed this prediction for the N-terminus of MSL10 (MSL10N) via circular dichroism spectroscopy. MSL10N adopted a predominately helical structure when exposed to the helix-inducing compound trifluoroethanol (TFE) and underwent structural changes and alterations to homotypic interaction favorability in the presence of molecular crowding agents. Lastly, in vitro imaging of condensates indicated that MSL8N, MSL9N and MSL10N have sharply differing propensities for condensate formation both inherently and in response to salt, temperature, and molecular crowding. Altogether, these data establish the N-termini of MSL channels as intrinsically disordered regions with distinct biophysical properties and the potential to respond disparately to changes in their physiochemical environment.

biochemistry↗

bioRxiv2022

Unbiased proteomic and forward genetic screens reveal that mechanosensitive ion channel MSL10 functions at ER-plasma membrane contact sites in Arabidopsis thaliana

Mechanosensitive (MS) ion channels are an evolutionarily conserved way for cells to sense mechanical forces and transduce them into ionic signals. The channel properties of Arabidopsis thaliana MscS-Like (MSL)10 have been well studied, but how MSL10 signals remains largely unknown. To uncover signaling partners of MSL10, we employed both a proteomic screen and a forward genetic screen; both unexpectedly implicated ER-plasma membrane contact sites (EPCSs) in MSL10 function. The proteomic screen revealed that MSL10 associates with multiple proteins associated with EPCSs. Of these, only VAMP-associated proteins (VAP)27-1 and VAP27-3 interacted directly with MSL10. The forward genetic screen, for suppressors of a gain-of-function MSL10 allele (msl10-3G, MSL10S640L), identified mutations in the synaptotagmin (SYT)5 and SYT7 genes. We also found that EPCSs were expanded in leaves of msl10-3G plants compared to the wild type. Taken together, these results indicate that MSL10 can be found at EPCSs and functions there, providing a new cell-level framework for understanding MSL10 signaling. In addition, placing a mechanosensory protein at EPCS provides new insight into the function and regulation of this type of subcellular compartment.

plant biology↗

bioRxiv2021

The Mechanosensitive Ion Channel MSL10 Modulates Susceptibility to Pseudomonas syringae in Arabidopsis thaliana

Plants sense and respond to molecular signals associated with the presence of pathogens and their virulence factors. Mechanical signals generated during pathogenic invasion may also be important, but their contributions have rarely been studied. Here we investigate the potential role of a mechanosensitive ion channel, MscS-Like (MSL)10, in defense against the bacterial pathogen Pseudomonas syringae in Arabidopsis thaliana. We previously showed that overexpression of MSL10-GFP, phospho-mimetic versions of MSL10, and the gain-of-function allele msl10-3G all produce dwarfing, spontaneous cell death, and the hyperaccumulation of reactive oxygen species. These phenotypes are shared by many autoimmune mutants and are frequently suppressed by growth at high temperature in those lines. Here, we found that the same was true for all three MSL10 hypermorphs. In addition, we show that the SGT1/RAR1/HSP90 co-chaperone complex was required for dwarfing and ectopic cell death, PAD4 and SID2 were partially required, and the immune regulators EDS1 and NDR1 were dispensable. All MSL10 hypermorphs exhibited reduced susceptibility to infection by P. syringae strain Pto DC3000, Pto DC3000 expressing the avirulence genes avrRpt2 or avrRpm1, but not Pto DC3000 hrpL, and showed an accelerated induction of PR1 expression compared to wild-type plants. Null msl10-1 mutants were delayed in PR1 induction and displayed modest susceptibility to infection by COR-deficient Pst. Finally, stomatal closure was reduced in msl10-1 loss-of-function mutants in response to Pst COR-. These data show that MSL10 modulates pathogen responses and begin to address the possibility that mechanical signals are exploited by the plant for pathogen perception.

plant biology↗