Unravelling the Molecular Dialogue of Beneficial Microbe-Plant Interactions.

Plants are an intrinsic part of the soil community, which is comprised of a diverse range of organisms that interact in the rhizosphere through continuous molecular communications. The molecular dialogue within the plant microbiome involves a complex repertoire of primary and secondary metabolites that interact within different liquid matrices and biofilms. Communication functions are likely to involve membrane-less organelles formed by liquid-liquid phase separation of proteins and natural deep eutectic solvents that play a role as alternative media to water.

Trichoderma virens exerts herbicidal effect on Arabidopsis thaliana via modulation of amino acid metabolism.

Trichoderma virens is a plant beneficial fungus well-known for its biocontrol, herbicidal and growth promotion activity. Earlier, we identified HAS (HA-synthase, a terpene cyclase) and GAPDH (glyceraldehyde-3-phosphate dehydrogenase) to be involved in the production of multiple non-volatiles and non-volatile+volatile metabolites, respectively. The present study delineates the function of HAS and GAPDH in regulating herbicidal activity, using the model plant Arabidopsis thaliana.

Comparative Phenotypic, Genomic, and Transcriptomic Analyses of Two Contrasting Strains of the Plant Beneficial Fungus .

Trichoderma virens is a beneficial fungus that helps plants fight pathogens and abiotic stresses and thereby enhances crop yields. Unlike other spp., there are two well-defined strains (P and Q) of T.

Genetic Evidence in Favor of a Polyketide Origin of Acremeremophilanes, the Fungal "Sesquiterpene" Metabolites.

Eremophilanes are a large group of "sesquiterpenes" produced by plants and fungi, with more than 180 compounds being known in fungi alone. Many of these compounds are phytotoxic, antimicrobial, anticancer and immunomodulators, and hence are of great economic values. Acremeremophilanes A to O have earlier been reported in a marine isolate of sp.

Gliotoxin, an Immunosuppressive Fungal Metabolite, Primes Plant Immunity: Evidence from -Tomato Interaction.

Beneficial interaction of members of the fungal genus with plant roots primes the plant immune system, promoting systemic resistance to pathogen infection. Some strains of produce gliotoxin, a fungal epidithiodioxopiperazine (ETP)-type secondary metabolite that is toxic to animal cells. It induces apoptosis, prevents NF-κB activation via the inhibition of the proteasome, and has immunosuppressive properties.

Gamma-induced mutants of and display enhanced antagonistic activities and suppression of the root rot and wilt diseases in pulses.

This study aims to increase and antagonistic activity against the root rot and wilt diseases of pulses caused by and f. sp. , respectively.

Dual role of a dedicated GAPDH in the biosynthesis of volatile and non-volatile metabolites- novel insights into the regulation of secondary metabolism in Trichoderma virens.

Trichoderma virens produces viridin/viridiol, heptelidic (koningic) acid, several volatile sesquiterpenes and gliotoxin (Q strains) or gliovirin (P strains). We earlier reported that deletion of the terpene cyclase vir4 and a glyceraldehyde-3-phosphate dehydrogenase (GAPDH, designated as vGPD) associated with the "vir" cluster abrogated the biosynthesis of several volatile sesquiterpene metabolites. Here we show that, the deletion of this GAPDH also impairs the biosynthesis of heptelidic acid (a non-volatile sesquiterpene), viridin (steroid) and gliovirin (non-ribosomal peptide), indicating regulation of non-volatile metabolite biosynthesis by this GAPDH that is associated with a secondary metabolism gene cluster.

Structure-function analysis reveals Trichoderma virens Tsp1 to be a novel fungal effector protein modulating plant defence.

Trichoderma virens colonizes roots and develops a symbiotic relationship with plants where the fungal partner derives nutrients from plants and offers defence, in return. Tsp1, a small secreted cysteine-rich protein, was earlier found to be upregulated in co-cultivation of T. virens with maize roots.

Production, stability and degradation of Trichoderma gliotoxin in growth medium, irrigation water and agricultural soil.

Gliotoxin produced by Trichoderma virens is inhibitory against various phytopathogenic fungi and bacteria. However, its stability in soil-ecosystem has not yet been well-defined. This study aimed to decipher its persistence and behaviour in growth media, irrigation water and soil ecosystems.

Bys1 may competitively inhibit its own effector protein Alt a 1 to stabilize the symbiotic relationship with plant-evidence from docking and simulation studies.

Unlabelled: The filamentous fungi spp. are widely used for plant growth promotion and disease control. They form stable symbiosis-like relationship with roots.

Deletion of the Trichoderma virens NRPS, Tex7, induces accumulation of the anti-cancer compound heptelidic acid.

The anticancer antibiotic heptelidic acid is a sesquiterpene lactone produced by the beneficial plant fungus Trichoderma virens. This species has been separated into two strains, referred to as P and Q, based on its biosynthesis of secondary metabolites; notably, only P-strains were reported to produce heptelidic acid. While characterizing a Q-strain of T.

Expression of a heptelidic acid-insensitive recombinant GAPDH from Trichoderma virens, and its biochemical and biophysical characterization.

Trichoderma virens genome harbors two isoforms of GAPDH, one (gGPD) involved in glycolysis and the other one (vGPD) in secondary metabolism. vGPD is expressed as part of the "vir" cluster responsible for the biosynthesis of volatile sesquiterpenes. The secondary metabolism-associated GAPDH is tolerant to the anti-cancer metabolite heptelidic acid (HA), produced by T.

Whole Genome Sequencing Reveals Major Deletions in the Genome of M7, a Gamma Ray-Induced Mutant of That Is Repressed in Conidiation, Secondary Metabolism, and Mycoparasitism.

is a commercial biofungicide used in agriculture. We have earlier isolated a mutant of using gamma ray-induced mutagenesis. This mutant, designated as M7, is defective in morphogenesis, secondary metabolism, and mycoparasitism.

Expression, purification, crystallization and X-ray diffraction studies of a novel root-induced secreted protein from Trichoderma virens.

Small secreted cysteine-rich proteins (SSCPs) from fungi play an important role in fungi-host interactions. The plant-beneficial fungi Trichoderma spp. are in use worldwide as biocontrol agents and protect the host plant from soil-borne as well as foliar pathogens.

A Novel Seed-Dressing Formulation Based on an Improved Mutant Strain of , and Its Field Evaluation.

Using gamma-ray-induced mutagenesis, we have developed a mutant (named G2) of that produced two- to three-fold excesses of secondary metabolites, including viridin, viridiol, and some yet-to-be identified compounds. Consequently, this mutant had improved antibiosis against the oomycete test pathogen . A transcriptome analysis of the mutant vis-à-vis the wild-type strain showed upregulation of several secondary-metabolism-related genes.

Differential expression analysis of Trichoderma virens RNA reveals a dynamic transcriptome during colonization of Zea mays roots.

Background: Trichoderma spp. are majorly composed of plant-beneficial symbionts widely used in agriculture as bio-control agents. Studying the mechanisms behind Trichoderma-derived plant benefits has yielded tangible bio-industrial products.

Regulation of conidiation and antagonistic properties of the soil-borne plant beneficial fungus Trichoderma virens by a novel proline-, glycine-, tyrosine-rich protein and a GPI-anchored cell wall protein.

Trichoderma spp. are widely used as commercial biofungicides, and most commercial formulations are conidia based. Identification of genes that regulate conidiation would thus be of help in genetic reprogramming of these species to optimize sporulation.

Ferricrocin, the intracellular siderophore of Trichoderma virens, is involved in growth, conidiation, gliotoxin biosynthesis and induction of systemic resistance in maize.

Fungal siderophores are known to be involved in iron acquisition and storage, as well as pathogenicity of mammals and plants. As avirulent plant symbionts, Trichoderma spp. colonize roots and induce resistance responses both locally and systemically.

A dedicated glyceraldehyde-3-phosphate dehydrogenase is involved in the biosynthesis of volatile sesquiterpenes in Trichoderma virens-evidence for the role of a fungal GAPDH in secondary metabolism.

Glyceraldehyde-3-phosphate dehydrogenase (GAPDH) catalyses the sixth step of glycolysis, and is also known to perform other (moonlighting) activities in animal cells. We have earlier identified an additional GAPDH gene in Trichoderma virens genome. This gene is consistently associated with the vir cluster responsible for biosynthesis of a range of volatile sesquiterpenes in Trichoderma virens.

Novel Trichoderma strains isolated from tree barks as potential biocontrol agents and biofertilizers for direct seeded rice.

This study is the first time report of utilization of Trichoderma spp. isolated from different tree bark from Odisha state of India for rice crop health management and higher productivity. Six isolates of Trichoderma spp.

Genome-wide analysis of cytochrome P450s of spp.: annotation and evolutionary relationships.

Background: Cytochrome P450s form an important group of enzymes involved in xenobiotics degradation and metabolism, both primary and secondary. These enzymes are also useful in industry as biotechnological tools for bioconversion and a few are reported to be involved in pathogenicity. spp.

Genetic Similarity between Cotton Leafroll Dwarf Virus and Chickpea Stunt Disease Associated Virus in India.

The cotton leafroll dwarf virus (CLRDV) is one of the most devastating pathogens of cotton. This malady, known as cotton blue disease, is widespread in South America where it causes huge crop losses. Recently the disease has been reported from India.

The Terpenoid Biosynthesis Toolkit of Trichoderma.

The widely used biotechnologically important fungi belonging to the genus Trichoderma are rich sources of secondary metabolites. Even though the genomes of several Trichoderma spp. have been published, and data are available on the genes involved in biosynthesis of non-ribosomal peptide synthetases and polyketide synthases, no genome-wide data are available for the terpenoid biosynthesis machinery in these organisms.