The international team of researchers has discovered a molecule in phytoplasm, allowing the plants to “zombies”. The article of scientists is published in Cell magazine.
Phytoplasm – a special group of bacteria-parasites, which have found the ability to reprogram the development of their host plants. So, in particular, witch brooms arise – dense accumulations of branches with underdeveloped leaves, frozen in a vegetative “zombied” state. In addition, phytoplasms cause and illness – in particular, the jaundice of plants.
With the help of experiments on the Arabidopsis Taliana model plant, scientists from the Academy of Sync, Wazeningen University and the center of John Innes have found out that the “zombie” plants phytoplasm allows SAP05 protein. He sends to “recycling” in proteasome – protein complexes, which usually split unnecessary plants of substances – proteins that are involved in regulation of growth and development. The plant falls into the “eternal childhood” and begins to spend all the resources on the growth of new leaves and shoots, which creates favorable conditions for bacteria.
the proteins that SAP05 binds are similar to those in animals. However, scientists found out that insect-carriers phytoplasm their structure allows them to not bind to protein. In addition, it turned out that only two amino acids in proteosome interact with SAP05. Their replacement in the RPN10 protein on the “Analogues found in insects prevented proteosal binding with SAP05 and the formation of witch brooms.