A fungal pathogen suppresses host leaf senescence to increase infection

Yue Li, Xiangru Qu, Wenjuan Yang, Qin Wu, Xiaodong Wang, Qiantao Jiang, Jian Ma, Yazhou Zhang, Pengfei Qi, Guoyue Chen, Youliang Zheng, Xiaojie Wang (), Yuming Wei () and Qiang Xu ()
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Yue Li: State Key Laboratory of Crop Gene Exploration and Utilization in Southwest China
Xiangru Qu: State Key Laboratory of Crop Gene Exploration and Utilization in Southwest China
Wenjuan Yang: State Key Laboratory of Crop Gene Exploration and Utilization in Southwest China
Qin Wu: State Key Laboratory of Crop Gene Exploration and Utilization in Southwest China
Xiaodong Wang: Northwest A&F University
Qiantao Jiang: State Key Laboratory of Crop Gene Exploration and Utilization in Southwest China
Jian Ma: State Key Laboratory of Crop Gene Exploration and Utilization in Southwest China
Yazhou Zhang: State Key Laboratory of Crop Gene Exploration and Utilization in Southwest China
Pengfei Qi: State Key Laboratory of Crop Gene Exploration and Utilization in Southwest China
Guoyue Chen: State Key Laboratory of Crop Gene Exploration and Utilization in Southwest China
Youliang Zheng: State Key Laboratory of Crop Gene Exploration and Utilization in Southwest China
Xiaojie Wang: Northwest A&F University
Yuming Wei: State Key Laboratory of Crop Gene Exploration and Utilization in Southwest China
Qiang Xu: State Key Laboratory of Crop Gene Exploration and Utilization in Southwest China

Nature Communications, 2025, vol. 16, issue 1, 1-15

Abstract: Abstract Phytopathogens such as Puccinia striiformis f. sp. tritici (Pst) induce pigment retention at pathogen infection sites. Although pigment retention is commonly observed in diverse pathosystems, its underlying physiological mechanism remains largely unclear. Herein, we identify and characterize a wheat leaf senescence gene, TaSGR1, which enhances resistance against Pst by promoting leaf senescence and H2O2 accumulation while inhibiting photosynthesis. Knockout of TaSGR1 (STAYGREEN) in wheat increases pigment retention and plant susceptibility. Pst_TTP1 (TaTrx-Targeting Protein 1), a secreted rust fungal effector critical for Pst virulence, binds to the plastidial thioredoxin TaTrx (Thioredoxin), preventing its translocation into chloroplasts. Within the chloroplasts, TaTrx catalyzes the transformation of TaSGR1 oligomers into monomers. These TaSGR1 monomers accumulate in the chloroplasts, accelerating leaf senescence, H2O2 accumulation, and cell death. The inhibition of this oligomer-to-monomer transformation, caused by the failure of TaTrx to enter the chloroplast due to Pst_TTP1, impairs plant resistance against Pst. Overall, our study reveals the suppression of redox signaling cascade that catalyzes the transformation of TaSGR1 oligomers into monomers within chloroplasts and the inhibition of leaf chlorosis by rust effectors as key mechanisms underlying disease susceptibility.

Date: 2025
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DOI: 10.1038/s41467-025-58277-5

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