Related Experiment Video
Updated: Jul 8, 2026
06:39
Double-Staining Method to Detect Pectin in Plant-Fungus Interaction
Published on: February 4, 2022
The intersection between cell wall disassembly, ripening, and fruit susceptibility to Botrytis cinerea
D Cantu1, A R Vicente, L C Greve
1Departments of Plant Sciences and Viticulture and Enology, University of California, Davis, CA 95616, USA.
Summary
Fruit ripening increases susceptibility to pathogens like Botrytis cinerea. Suppressing cell wall (CW) disassembly enzymes polygalacturonase (PG) and expansin (Exp) simultaneously reduced this susceptibility in tomatoes.
Area of Science:
- Plant pathology
- Plant biochemistry
- Molecular biology
Background:
- Fruit ripening involves cell wall (CW) disassembly, softening, and increased susceptibility to necrotrophic pathogens.
- Key CW proteins like polygalacturonase (PG) and expansin (Exp) drive this disassembly in tomatoes.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate if endogenous CW disassembly during ripening affects susceptibility to Botrytis cinerea.
- To determine the roles of PG and Exp in regulating pathogen susceptibility.
Main Methods:
- Generated transgenic tomatoes with suppressed expression of LePG and LeExp1.
- Assessed Botrytis cinerea susceptibility by measuring fungal biomass and lesion development in transgenic fruit.
Main Results:
- Suppression of LePG or LeExp1 alone did not significantly alter B. cinerea susceptibility.
- Simultaneous suppression of both LePG and LeExp1 dramatically reduced susceptibility in ripening fruit.
- Reduced susceptibility correlated with decreased fungal biomass and lesion size.
Conclusions:
- Endogenous CW disassembly during fruit ripening is a critical factor influencing susceptibility to necrotrophic pathogens.
- Coordinated action of PG and Exp in CW disassembly impacts pathogen infection.
- Understanding this process may lead to strategies for reducing postharvest losses.
More Related Videos
10:26Elucidating β-1,3-Glucanase and Peroxidase Physicochemical Properties of Wheat Cell Wall Defense Mechanism Against Diuraphis noxia Infestation
Published on: July 26, 2024
12:32Colletotrichum fioriniae Development in Water and Chloroform-based Blueberry and Cranberry Floral Extracts
Published on: April 12, 2019
Related Concept Videos
01:58Fruit Development, Structure, and Function
Fruits form from a mature flower ovary. As seeds develop from the ovules contained within, the ovary wall undergoes a series of complex changes to form fruit. In some fruits, such as soybeans, the ovary wall dries; in other fruits, such as grapes, it remains fleshy. In some cases, organs other than the ovary contribute to fruit formation; such fruits are called accessory fruits.
02:43Plant Cell Wall
The plant cell wall gives plant cells shape, support, and protection. As a cell matures, its cell wall specializes according to the cell type. For example, the parenchyma cells of leaves possess only a thin, primary cell wall.Collenchyma and sclerenchyma cells, on the other hand, mainly occur in the outer layers of a plant's stems and leaves. These cells provide the plant with strength and support by either partially thickening their primary cell wall (i.e., collenchyma), or depositing a...
01:02Role of Microtubules in Cell Wall Deposition
Microtubules are small hollow tubes in eukaryotic cells. The cell wall microtubules are polymerized dimers of two globular proteins, α-tubulin and β-tubulin, two globular proteins. With a diameter of about 25 nm, microtubules are the widest components of the cytoskeleton. They help the cell resist compression and provide a track along which vesicles move through the cell or pull replicated chromosomes to opposite ends of a dividing cell. Microtubules go through quick cycles of disassembly and...
01:23Inhibitors of Gram-positive Cell Wall Synthesis
Bacterial cell walls are typically rigid structures composed mainly of peptidoglycan, a mesh-like polymer that provides mechanical strength and maintains cell shape. The synthesis of peptidoglycan is a crucial process in bacterial growth and serves as a primary target for many antibiotics.Mechanism of Action of Beta-Lactam AntibioticsBeta-lactam antibiotics, such as penicillin, inhibit peptidoglycan synthesis in actively growing cells. These antibiotics share a characteristic four-membered...
01:15Cellulose and Pectic Polysaccharides
Every plant cell has a cell wall that protects the cell, provides structural support, and gives the cell shape. Cellulose, the main structural component of the plant cell wall, makes up over 30% of plant matter. It is the most abundant organic compound on earth. Cellulose is an unbranched polysaccharide composed of linear chains of glucose molecules linked by β (1→4) glycosidic bonds.
As a cell matures, its cell wall specializes according to its type. For example, the parenchyma cells of...
As a cell matures, its cell wall specializes according to its type. For example, the parenchyma cells of...
01:28Biodeterioration
Biodeterioration refers to the unwanted alteration of materials caused by microorganisms—especially fungi—which damage both organic substrates (paper, wood, textiles) and inorganic ones (stone, plaster, glass). Unlike abiotic decay, biodeterioration results from biological activity that produces physical disruption and chemical degradation.Physical deterioration occurs as fungal hyphae penetrate pores, cracks, and surface irregularities. Hyphal turgor pressure, thigmotropic growth along...