Deciphering the role of secondary metabolites in the chemical interaction between phytopathogens and the citrus host

• Grant number: 22/02992-0
• Support Opportunities: Research Grants - Initial Project
• Start date: April 01, 2023
• End date: March 31, 2028
• Field of knowledge: Physical Sciences and Mathematics - Chemistry - Organic Chemistry
• Agreement: Serrapilheira Institute
• Principal Investigator: Taicia Pacheco Fill
• Grantee: Taicia Pacheco Fill
• Host Institution: Instituto de Química (IQ). Universidade Estadual de Campinas (UNICAMP). Campinas , SP, Brazil
• City of the host institution: Campinas
• Associated researchers: Luis Gonzales Candelas ; Vito Valiante
• Associated scholarship(s): 25/04102-0 - Characterization of the chemical and biological interactions between Bacillus spp. and citrus plants and their impacts on growth promotion and disease resistance, BP.PD; 23/06874-4 - Deciphering the role of secondary metabolites in the chemical interaction between phytopathogens and the citrus host, BP.DR

Abstract

Phytopathogens have developed numerous specialized virulence strategies to facilitate colonization of plant tissues, as well as infect and modulate host plant physiology, including the production of secondary metabolites (natural products) that could act as virulence factors. Brazil is the largest producer of oranges and the largest exporter of orange juice in the world, and these citrus fruits are susceptible to numerous fungal diseases that cause significant losses to the Brazilian economy. The diseases that cause the greatest economic losses are the green and blue molds caused by the fungi Penicillium digitatum and Penicillium italicum, respectively, although other phytopathogens have also been reported. Research on these phytopathogens mainly focuses on treatments against the symptoms of infection. However, the molecular basis of infection and host specificity remain largely unknown. In this sense, our objective is to structurally characterize peptides produced by these phytopathogens and study them in relation to their functionality in the pathogen-host interaction, through molecular and genetic biology studies. The idea is to perform the deletion of key genes involved in the biosynthesis of these metabolites (NRPSs), allowing the production of mutant organisms deficient in the respective metabolites, which will be studied in relation to virulence towards the host. These studies could provide more information about the strategies used by these Penicillium species and other fungal phytopathogens to infect citrus. Understanding phytotoxin production in its biological context represents an important step towards developing ways to protect citrus from fungal infections. (AU)

Scientific publications

(9)

(References retrieved automatically from Web of Science and SciELO through information on FAPESP grants and their corresponding numbers as mentioned in the publications by the authors)

ARAUJO, EDER DE VILHENA; JESUS, FRANCIELLY F. SOUZA; VALENTE, BEATRIZ LEDERMAN; CRISTIANINI, MARCELO; MONTAGNER, CASSIANA C.; FILL, TAICIA P.. Analytical determination of tryptoquialanines A and B: Ensuring the quality and safety of orange juices. Food Research International, v. 174, p. 8-pg., 2023-10-31. (22/02992-0, 21/00728-0, 14/50951-4)

DA SILVA, STEPHANIE NEMESIO; DE OLIVEIRA, LUIS FERNANDO; REPKE, RODRIGO ALBERTO; PEREIRA, ALANA KELYENE; BARBOSA, LUIDY DARLAN; NUNES, RAFAEL LEIRIA; SUSSULINI, ALESSANDRA; PINHEIRO, FABIO; FILL, TAICIA PACHECO. Metabolomic analysis reveals stress tolerance mechanisms in common bean (Phaseolus vulgaris L.) related to treatment with a biostimulant obtained from Corynebacterium glutamicum. MOLECULAR OMICS, v. N/A, p. 13-pg., 2023-07-28. (21/00728-0, 22/02992-0)

CASTRO, SYMONE COSTA DE; BARBOSA, JULIO CESAR JERONIMO; TEIXEIRA, BRUNO SOZZA; FILL, TAICIA PACHECO; TASIC, LJUBICA. Investigation of pectin deficiency in modulating the bioflavonoid profile of orange processing waste: A sustainable valorization of industrial waste. FOOD CHEMISTRY-X, v. 22, p. 10-pg., 2024-03-30. (22/02992-0, 14/50867-3, 23/06480-6, 23/06874-4)

WASSANO, NATALIA S.; DA SILVA, GABRIELA B.; REIS, ARTUR H.; GERHARDT, JAQUELINE A.; ANTONIEL, EVERTON P.; AKIYAMA, DANIEL; REZENDE, CAROLINE P.; NEVES, LEANDRO X.; VASCONCELOS, ELTON J. R.; DE FIGUEIREDO, FERNANDA L.; et al. Sirtuin E deacetylase is required for full virulence of Aspergillus fumigatus. COMMUNICATIONS BIOLOGY, v. 7, n. 1, p. 17-pg., 2024-06-08. (18/09948-0, 20/06151-4, 22/03075-0, 21/04977-5, 22/02992-0, 22/05731-2)

SILVA, EVANDRO; DANTAS, RODOLFO; BARBOSA, JULIO CESAR; BERLINCK, ROBERTO G. S.; FILL, TAICIA. Metabolomics approach to understand molecular mechanisms involved in fungal pathogen-citrus pathosystems. MOLECULAR OMICS, v. 20, n. 3, p. 15-pg., 2024-01-26. (23/03831-2, 23/06874-4, 19/17721-9, 22/02992-0, 22/03594-8)

ISHIMOTO, CAROLINE KIE; LIMA, RODOLFO DANTAS; SCARAMUSSA, SIMONE APARECIDA DE LIMA; FILL, TAICIA PACHECO; OLIVEIRA, VALERIA MAIA; BICAS, JULIANO LEMOS. Improving the medium composition for the production of the natural blue-violet pigment violacein by a new Janthinobacterium sp. isolate. Letters in Applied Microbiology, v. 77, n. 10, p. 8-pg., 2024-10-08. (22/02992-0, 23/06147-5, 24/02207-6)

DELBAJE, ENDREWS; DE CASTRO, PATRICIA ALVES; CALISE, DANTE G.; MENGYAO, NIU; HORTA, MARIA AUGUSTA CRIVELENTE; AKIYAMA, DANIEL YURI; PONTES, JOAO GUILHERME; FILL, TAICIA; KNIEMEYER, OLAF; KRUGER, THOMAS; et al. The Influence of Aspergillus fumigatus Fatty Acid Oxygenases PpoA and PpoC on Caspofungin Susceptibility. JOURNAL OF FUNGI, v. 10, n. 11, p. 23-pg., 2024-11-01. (23/00206-0, 22/02992-0, 21/04977-5)

DE FREITAS, MARIA DAIANE; LIMA JUNIOR, RODOLFO DANTAS; DA SILVA, FRANCISCO ERIVALDO FREITAS; INOKUTI, ELIANE MAYUMI; OSTER, ANDREIA HANSEN; ZAMPIERI, DAVILA; LIMA, CRISTIANO SOUZA; FILL, TAICIA PACHECO; DE LEMOS, TELMA LEDA GOMES. Unraveling the antifungal composition of bitter orange decoction against the melon pathogen Fusarium jinanense. Food Chemistry, v. 455, p. 12-pg., 2024-06-05. (22/02992-0)

RODRIGUES, MARCIO L.; JANBON, GUILHEM; O'CONNELL, RICHARD J.; CHU, THI-THU-HUYEN; MAY, ROBIN C.; JIN, HAILING; REIS, FLAVIA C. G.; ALVES, LYSANGELA R.; PUCCIA, ROSANA; FILL, TAICIA P.; et al. Characterizing extracellular vesicles of human fungal pathogens. NATURE MICROBIOLOGY, v. N/A, p. 11-pg., 2025-03-27. (22/11123-5, 22/02992-0)