| STUDY |
Fungus mounts double-barreled attack on plants
Some fungi deliver a double whammy to plants they attack. A tomato plant's first line of defense against fungi that would attack it is to produce soaplike compounds (saponins) with antifungal properties in the plant's leaves. Plant scientists have known for many years that microbes that can successfully infect tomatoes and other saponin-producing plants often do so by producing enzymes that break down saponins into less toxic compounds. In the case of the tomato leaf spot fungus Septoria lycopersici. Author now find, the fungal enzyme that hydrolyzes the tomato saponin converts it into a compound that interferes with the internal signaling system the plant relies on to trigger other defense mechanisms. "The first line of defense is transformed into a weapon that makes the plant unable to protect itself against further attack.
|