Temporally Programmed Virulence Cascade Drives Progressive Maize Root Rot by Fusarium graminearum

Clicks: 1
ID: 318671
2026
Free PDF
Article Quality & Performance Metrics
Overall Quality
Not rated
Combines reader engagement with the AI quality analysis. This article has not been analysed, so there is no overall score — reader engagement is measured and shown alongside.
AI Quality Assessment
Not analyzed
Readership in this journal

Ranked #435 of 501 articles by views in Plant physiology and biochemistry : PPB

Most read Least read

Bar heights use a square-root scale. Only the 120 most-read articles are drawn; the journal has 501 in total.

Mint this article as an NFT
Not yet minted

Create a permanent, verifiable on-chain record of this article on the Scimatic Network. The NFT is held in your Journament account, and you can withdraw it to your own wallet at any time.

5 SUSD one-off · no wallet required
Sign in to mint
Abstract
Fusarium graminearum threatens grain safety through trichothecene mycotoxins, yet how it temporally orchestrates virulence during early root colonization-which compromises seedling vigor and facilitates stem invasion-remains unclear. We performed high-resolution transcriptomics of F. graminearum infecting maize roots every 6 h over 48 hpi, revealing three infection phases: Penetration Initiation (0-6 hpi), Colonization Establishment (12 hpi), and Systemic Disruption (18-48 hpi). Among 6,839 fungal genes, we delineated a three-phase virulence program: rapid activation of protein synthesis enables early secretion of effectors and hydrolases that facilitate host attachment and penetration; sustained deployment of diverse hydrolases and immunosuppressive effectors enables colonization through combined nutrient acquisition and defense suppression; and late-phase vascular degradation coupled with deoxynivalenol (DON) biosynthesis may contribute to systemic host disruption by compromising tissue integrity and disarming immunity. This program coincides with a shift from ROS scavenging to endogenous signaling that may promote toxin production and invasive growth. Notably, we identified FgCPA1, a conserved Phase II carboxypeptidase A essential for root colonization, whose protease domain triggers light-independent cell death in N. benthamiana independent of its signal peptide. This temporal framework uncovers phase-specific coordination of tissue invasion and mycotoxin production, providing actionable targets for anti-virulence strategies to safeguard grain quality.
Reference Key
openalex_W7165800282 Use this key to autocite in the manuscript while using SciMatic Manuscript Manager or Thesis Manager
Authors Mingjian Hu, Wenxiu Niu, Honglan Chen, Xiaogong Wang, Xiaoxing Wang (14912), YanYan Liu, Yunkai Wang, Jihua Tang, Junqiang Ding
Journal Plant physiology and biochemistry : PPB
Year 2026
DOI
10.1093/plphys/kiag404
URL
https://doi.org/10.1093/plphys/kiag404
Keywords Keywords not found

Citations

No citations found. To add a citation, contact the admin at info@scimatic.org

Comments

No comments yet. Be the first to comment on this article.