Coupling proteome-transcription analyses to unravel pathogenesis-related proteins (PR) in plant-insect-fungus interactions

• Grant number: 24/19244-1
• Support Opportunities: Scholarships abroad - Research Internship - Scientific Initiation
• Start date: March 01, 2025
• End date: June 30, 2025
• Field of knowledge: Biological Sciences - Genetics - Plant Genetics
• Principal Investigator: Daniel Scherer de Moura
• Grantee: Giovanna Rosseto Veronez
• Supervisor: Simona Masiero
• Host Institution: Escola Superior de Agricultura Luiz de Queiroz (ESALQ). Universidade de São Paulo (USP). Piracicaba , SP, Brazil
• Institution abroad: Università degli Studi di Milano, Italy
• Associated to the scholarship: 23/09434-5 - Analysis of pathogenesis-related proteins (PR) of Zea mays in plant-insect-fungus multitrophic interactions, BP.IC

Abstract

Fusarium verticillioides is a major phytopathogen affecting crops like maize (Zea mays) and other grasses, causing significant economic losses worldwide. Its infection results in various symptoms across all plant development stages, from pre- to post-harvest, leading to stalk and ear rot and the production of toxic secondary metabolites such as fumonisins. Moreover, the sugarcane borer, Diatraea saccharalis, is a significant pest that creates tunnels inside the stalk, disrupting nutrient and water transport, and making plants more prone to lodging, mainly affecting sugarcane, but also maize, rice, and sorghum. Plants are constantly exposed to multitrophic interactions with pests and pathogens. Recent studies first identified an intricate relationship between D. saccharalis and F. verticillioides in sugarcane, and it has since been discovered that this relationship is also conserved in maize. To cope with these various biotic stresses, plants have evolved defense strategies, including the production of waxes and lignin, volatile compounds, and pathogenesis-related (PR) proteins, which play crucial roles in plant defense and adaptation. However, how PR-proteins act in a multitrophic interaction where multiple biotic stresses happen at the same time is still unknown. In this context, this proposal aims to characterize candidate thaumatin-like (PR-5) and lipid transfer (PR-14) proteins identified to be differentially modulated exclusively in the combined F. verticillioides and D. saccharalis treatment. Specifically, the antimicrobial activity against Fusarium spp. and potential protein-protein interaction partners will be investigated by in silico analyses and through the production of the recombinant proteins for in vitro assays. This project seeks to deepen the understanding of maize defense mechanisms under multitrophic biotic stress and contribute to the development of new strategies for enhancing crop resilience.