Genomics of filamentous phytopathogens: new insight in pathogenesis and virulence

Abstract

Plants being the primary producers are always engaged in complex dialogue with other organisms. From the start of agricultural practices, plant diseases have concerned humans as they limit the supply of food and with the growing population this concern has elevated. A general observation in nature is that most plants are resistant to most pathogens or a pathogen can only cause disease on one or a few related plant species. This observation suggests that plants possess a defense system against potential pathogens and only few adapted or evolved pathogens can breach this multi-layered defense. Understanding the molecular and biochemical complexities of plant-pathogen interactions and applying obtained knowledge for sustainable agriculture is the aim of research projects around the globe. In this aspect, the sequencing projects of many filamentous pathogens (oomycetes and fungi) have revealed the information about an arsenal of molecules that are the key pathogenicity determinants on plants. In this chapter, we have presented recent findings on the evolution and functions of these protein molecules delivered by filamentous pathogens for successful pathogenesis on host plants. This area of molecular plant pathology is emerging very fast as effectors and cognate host proteins are the front-runners in this co-evolving host-pathogen interaction.