Researchers at Shinshu University and Kyoto University happened to respond to the pathogenic filamentous fungi in the epidermal chloroplasts of the plant while studying the battle between plant pathogenic filamentous fungi (molds and fungi) and plants (mutual survival strategies). I discovered the phenomenon of moving to the surface layer side.Filamentous fungi cause 7 to 8% of plant diseases, and the epidermis of plants functions as a barrier to initially prevent the invasion of pathogenic filamentous fungi.From this, the researchers, who predicted that epidermal chloroplasts are involved in the defense response to the attack of pathogenic filamentous fungi, worked to elucidate the function of epidermal chloroplasts. It is found that it is equipped with multiple factors involved in immunity and contributes to strengthening resistance to epidermal invasion by dynamically moving inside the cell to the surface layer side in response to the attack of pathogenic filamentous fungi. rice field.

　When a plant was created in which the intracellular migration of epidermal chloroplasts was suppressed by gene transfer, it was confirmed that pathogenic filamentous fungi easily invade the epidermis in this plant.In addition, in mutant plants in which the immune factors accumulated in the epidermal chloroplasts did not function, the invasion rate of pathogenic filamentous fungi was increased even though the migration of the epidermal chloroplasts to the surface layer was confirmed.That is, it was suggested that the epidermal chloroplasts appearing on the surface layer have a role of repelling pathogenic filamentous fungi.

　If we can develop a technology to enhance and control the function of epidermal chloroplasts based on the results of this research, it is expected that it will lead to the production of highly immune plants that are resistant to various pathogen filamentous fungi.

Paper information:[Nature Communications] Epidermal chloroplasts are defense-related motile organelles equipped with plant immune components