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ARS Home » Northeast Area » Beltsville, Maryland (BARC) » Beltsville Agricultural Research Center » Molecular Plant Pathology Laboratory » Research » Publications at this Location » Publication #375875
Research Project: Genome-Based Strategies and Physiological Biomarkers for Detection and Identification of plant Pathogenic Phytoplasmas and Spiroplasmas

Location: Molecular Plant Pathology Laboratory

Title: Integration of metabolomics and existing omics data reveals new insights into phytoplasma-induced metabolic reprogramming in host plants

Author
item TAN, YUE - Shangdong Institute Of Pomology
item LI, QINGLIANG - Zaozhuang University
item Zhao, Yan
item WEI, HAIRONG - Shangdong Institute Of Pomology
item WANG, JIAWEI - Shangdong Institute Of Pomology
item Baker, Con
item LIU, QINGZHONG - Shangdong Institute Of Pomology
item Wei, Wei

Submitted to: PLOS ONE
Publication Type: Peer Reviewed Journal
Publication Acceptance Date: 1/14/2021
Publication Date: 2/4/2021
Citation: Tan, Y., Li, Q., Zhao, Y., Wei, H., Wang, J., Baker, C.J., Liu, Q., Wei, W. 2021 Integration of metabolomics and existing omics data reveals new insights into phytoplasma-induced metabolic reprogramming in host plants PLoS ONE. 16:e0246203. https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0246203.
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0246203

Interpretive Summary: Phytoplasmas are small plant pathogens that are highly dependent on the nutrients imported from host cells due to the loss of many genes involved in essential metabolic pathways during reductive evolution. However, metabolic crosstalk between phytoplasmas and host plants and the mechanism of phytoplasma nutrient acquisition are still unclear. In this study, ARS scientists and collaborators employed metabolomics approach and integrated existing omics data to investigate phytoplasma-induced metabolite alterations in host plants. The results revealed that phytoplasma infection could reprogram plant metabolisms to favor its own growth and infection. The new findings contribute to a better understanding of phytoplasma-plant interactions from a nutritional perspective. This article will benefit scientists and students who are interested in pathogen-induced plant metabolism reprogramming, pathogen-host interactions, and high-throughput omics studies.

Technical Abstract: Phytoplasmas are cell wall-less bacteria that induce abnormal plant growth and various diseases, causing severe economic loss. Phytoplasmas are highly dependent on nutrients imported from host cells because they have lost many genes involved in essential metabolic pathways during reductive evolution. However, metabolic crosstalk between phytoplasmas and host plants and the mechanisms of phytoplasma nutrient acquisition remain poorly understood. In this study, using a comparative omics approach, sweet cherry virescence (SCV) phytoplasma-induced metabolite alterations in sweet cherry trees were investigated. A total of 676 metabolites were identified in SCV phytoplasma-infected and mock inoculated leaves, of which 187 metabolites were differentially expressed, with an overwhelming majority belonging to carbohydrates, fatty acids/lipids, amino acids, and flavonoids. Available omics data of interactions between plant and phytoplasma were also deciphered and integrated into the present study. The results demonstrated that phytoplasma infection promoted glycolysis and pentose phosphate pathway activities, which provide energy and nutrients and facilitate biosynthesis of necessary low-molecular metabolites. Our findings indicated that phytoplasma can induce reprograming of plant metabolism to obtain nutrients for its own replication and infection. The findings from this study provide new insight into interactions of host plants and phytoplasmas from a nutrient acquisition perspective.