Strigolactones are chemoattractants for host tropism in Orobanchaceae parasitic plants

Satoshi Ogawa, Songkui Cui, Alexandra R. F. White, David C. Nelson, Satoko Yoshida and Ken Shirasu ()
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Satoshi Ogawa: RIKEN Center for Sustainable Resource Science
Songkui Cui: Nara Institute of Science and Technology
Alexandra R. F. White: University of California
David C. Nelson: University of California
Satoko Yoshida: Nara Institute of Science and Technology
Ken Shirasu: RIKEN Center for Sustainable Resource Science

Nature Communications, 2022, vol. 13, issue 1, 1-11

Abstract: Abstract Parasitic plants are worldwide threats that damage major agricultural crops. To initiate infection, parasitic plants have developed the ability to locate hosts and grow towards them. This ability, called host tropism, is critical for parasite survival, but its underlying mechanism remains mostly unresolved. To characterise host tropism, we used the model facultative root parasite Phtheirospermum japonicum, a member of the Orobanchaceae. Here, we show that strigolactones (SLs) function as host-derived chemoattractants. Chemotropism to SLs is also found in Striga hermonthica, a parasitic member of the Orobanchaceae, but not in non-parasites. Intriguingly, chemotropism to SLs in P. japonicum is attenuated in ammonium ion-rich conditions, where SLs are perceived, but the resulting asymmetrical accumulation of the auxin transporter PIN2 is diminished. P. japonicum encodes putative receptors that sense exogenous SLs, whereas expression of a dominant-negative form reduces its chemotropic ability. We propose a function for SLs as navigators for parasite roots.

Date: 2022
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DOI: 10.1038/s41467-022-32314-z

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