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TECHNICAL SESSION: Nematology

Elucidating the Role of MigPSY Peptides in Interaction Between Plants and Root-knot Nematodes

Monday, August 4, 2025
10:45 AM - 11:00 AM HST
Location: Room 313 C
Abstract Text:

Plant parasitic nematodes severely threaten global food production by invading plant roots and establishing feeding sites for nutrients. To manipulate host responses, they secrete effectors such as phytohormones or peptides that hijack the host’s cellular machinery. Plants produce a family of secreted peptides called PLANT PEPTIDE CONTAINING SULFATED TYROSINE (PSY) that promote root growth via cell expansion and proliferation. Intriguingly, the bacterial pathogen Xanthomonas oryzae pv. oryzae also produces a PSY-like peptide called RaxX (required for activation of XA21-mediated immunity X), which contributes to bacterial virulence. Our previous research identified a group of secreted peptides in root-knot nematodes (Meloidogyne spp.) that resemble plant PSY peptides (MigPSYs) and showed that they stimulate root growth in Arabidopsis. Gene silencing demonstrated that MigPSYs had virulence-associated roles in nematode parasitism of its host. To elucidate the mechanisms underlying MigPSY function and host perception in plants, we investigated the in planta subcellular localization and the recognition by potential receptors in Arabidopsis (PSYRs) and rice (XA21) plants. Preliminary results indicate that PSYR3 and XA21 may be involved in MigPSY-mediated plant signaling. Given the high conservation of PSY and the cognate receptors in plants and pathogens, this research is expected to provide valuable insights into the mechanism of nematode infection and may contribute to the development of novel strategies for controlling plant-parasitic nematodes.