Biology subjects

Soto-Suarez, M.

Publications and source records attributed to Soto-Suarez, M..

3 recordsLinked to original sources

bioRxiv2024

Rapid and Sensitive Detection of Fusarium oxysporum f. sp. cubense Tropical Race 4 Using a RPA-DETECTR Assay

Early and prompt detection of banana wilt pathogen Fusarium oxysporum f. sp. cubense (Foc), tropical race 4 (Foc TR4), causing global banana crop losses is crucial to curtail the disease spread, minimize damage and implement quarantine measures. We report the first successfully developed DNA Endonuclease Targeted CRISPR Trans Reporter (DETECTR) assay for the highly sensitive and specific detection of Foc TR4, validated across several isolates. Notably, specific crRNA spacer sequences and recombinant polymerase amplification (RPA) primers designed and evaluated for the DETECTR assay exhibited exceptional sensitivity, detecting Foc TR4 with genomic DNA as low as 0.005 ng, and demonstrated a very high specificity, and reproducibility. The RPA-DETECTR assay was validated using a diverse panel of samples, including both target and non-target pathogens confirming its robustness and reliability across different types of samples, ensuring practical application under varied conditions. In terms of throughput, the RPA-DETECTR assays enabled faster detection of Foc TR4 than other molecular diagnostics including PCR, quantitative PCR (qPCR) and droplet digital PCR (ddPCR) analyses, making this assay suitable for point-of-care (POC) detection of Foc TR4, and facilitating rapid decision-making and immediate response. This rapid detection capability is crucial in restricting any potential transboundary movement as part of ongoing disease management efforts.

pathology↗

bioRxiv2022

Genome sequence data reveal at least two distinct incursions of the tropical race 4 (TR4) variant of Fusarium wilt into South America

The global banana industry is threatened by one of the most devastating diseases: Fusarium wilt (FWB). FWB is caused by the soil-borne fungus Fusarium oxysporum f. sp. cubense (Foc), which almost annihilated the banana production in the late 1950s. A new strain of Foc, known as tropical race 4 (TR4), attacks a wide range of banana varieties including Cavendish clones which are the source of 99% of banana exports. In 2019, Foc TR4 was reported in Colombia, and more recently (2021) in Peru. In this study, we sequenced three fungal isolates identified as Foc TR4 from La Guajira (Colombia) and compared them against 19 whole-genome sequences of Foc TR4 publicly available, including four genome sequences recently released from Peru. To understand the genetic relatedness of the Colombian Foc TR4 isolates and those from Peru, we conducted a phylogenetic analysis based on a genome-wide set of single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs). Additionally, we compared the genomes of the 22 available Foc TR4 isolates looking for the presence-absence of gene polymorphisms and genomic regions. Our results reveal that (i) the Colombian and Peruvian isolates are genetically distant, which could be better explained by independent incursions of the pathogen to the continent, and (ii) there is a high correspondence between the genetic relatedness and geographic origin of Foc TR4. The profile of present/absent genes and the distribution of missing genomic regions showed a high correspondence to the clades recovered in the phylogenetic analysis, supporting the results obtained by SNP-based phylogeny.

genomics↗

bioRxiv2020

Boosting photosynthetic machinery and defense priming with chitosan application on tomato plants infected with Fusarium oxysporum f. sp. lycopersici

Physiological processes of plants infected by vascular pathogens are mainly affected by vascular bundle obstruction, decreasing the absorption of water and nutrients and gas exchange by stomatal closure, and inducing oxidative cascades and PSII alterations. Chitosan, a derivative of chitin present in the cell wall of some organisms including fungi, induces plant defense responses, activating systemic resistance. In this study, the effect of chitosan on the physiological and molecular responses of tomato plants infected with Fusarium oxysporum f. sp. lycopersici (Fol) was studied, evaluating the maximum potential quantum efficiency of PSII photochemistry (Fv/Fm), photochemical efficiency of PSII (Y(II)), photochemical quenching (qP), stomatal conductance (gs), relative water content (RWC), proline content, photosynthetic pigments, dry mass, and differential gene expression (PAL, LOXA, ERF1, and PR1) of defense markers. A reduction of 70% in the incidence and 91% in the severity of the disease was achieved in plants treated with chitosan, mitigating the damage caused by Fol on Fv/Fm, Y(II), and chlorophyll contents by 23%, 36%, and 47%, respectively. Less impact was observed on qP, gs, RWC, and dry mass (16%, 11%, and 26%, respectively). Chitosan-treated and Fol-infected plants over-expressed PR1a gene suggesting a priming-associated response. These results demonstrate the high potential of chitosan to protect tomato plants against Fol by regulating physiological and molecular responses in tomato plants.

plant biology↗