Biology subjects

Pel, M. J. C.

Publications and source records attributed to Pel, M. J. C..

2 recordsLinked to original sources

bioRxiv2024

Pangenomics to understand prophage dynamics in the Pectobacterium genus and the radiating lineages of P. brasiliense

Bacterial pathogens of the genus Pectobacterium are responsible for soft rot and blackleg disease in a wide range of crops and have a global impact on food production. The emergence of new lineages and their competitive succession is frequently observed in Pectobacterium species, in particular in P. brasiliense. With a focus on one such recently emerged P. brasiliense lineage in the Netherlands that causes blackleg in potatoes, we studied genome evolution in this genus using a reference-free graph-based pangenome approach. We clustered 1,977,865 proteins from 454 Pectobacterium spp. genomes into 30,156 homology groups. The Pectobacterium genus pangenome is open and its growth is mainly contributed by the accessory genome. Bacteriophage genes were enriched in the accessory genome and contributed 16% of the pangenome. Blackleg-causing P. brasiliense isolates had increased genome size with high levels of prophage integration. To study the diversity and dynamics of these prophages across the pangenome, we developed an approach to trace prophages across genomes using pangenome homology group signatures. We identified lineage-specific as well as generalist bacteriophages infecting Pectobacterium species. Our results capture the ongoing dynamics of mobile genetic elements, even in the clonal lineages. The observed lineage-specific prophage dynamics provide mechanistic insights into Pectobacterium pangenome growth and contribution to the radiating lineages of P. brasiliense.

bioinformatics↗

bioRxiv2020

A DEAD BOX RNA helicase from Medicago truncatula is hijacked by an RNA-binding effector from the root pathogen Aphanomyces euteiches to facilitate host infection

Microbial effectors from plant pathogens are molecules that target host components to facilitate colonization. While eukaryotic pathogens are virtually able to produce hundreds of effectors, the molecular mechanisms allowing effectors to promote infection are still largely unexplored. Here we show that the effector AeSSP1256 from the soilborne oomycete pathogen Aphanomyces euteiches is able to interact with plant RNA. Heterologous expression of AeSSP1256 delays Medicago truncatula host roots development and facilitate pathogen colonization. Transcriptomic analyses of AeSSP1256-expressing roots show a downregulation of genes implicated in ribosome biogenesis pathway. A yeast-two hybrid approach reveals that AeSSP1256 associates with a nucleolar L7 ribosomal protein and a M. truncatula RNA helicase (MtRH10) orthologous to the Arabidopsis RNA helicase RH10. Association of AeSSP1256 with MtRH10 impaired the capacity of MtRH10 to bind nucleic acids. Promoter:GUS composite plants revealed that MtRH10 is expressed preferentially in the meristematic root cells. Missense MtRH10 plants displayed shorter roots with developmental delay and are more susceptible to A. euteiches infection. These results show that the effector AeSSP1256 facilitates pathogen infection by causing stress on plant ribosome biogenesis and by hijacking a host RNA helicase involved in root development and resistance to root pathogens.

plant biology↗