Phytonematode peptide effectors exploit a host post‐translational trafficking mechanism to the ER using a novel translocation signal

What is it about?

Plant-parasitic nematodes are some of the most economically important pathogens impacting crop yields worldwide. Many of these nematodes have evolved to exploit plant developmental programs via plant peptide hormone mimicry as a means to induce dramatic changes to host cells for the establishment of a parasitic relationship. Our results reveal that some of these nematodes secrete a suite of peptide effector mimics to the cytoplasm that exploit a previously unknown host post-translational protein trafficking mechanism to the endoplasmic reticulum by using a novel translocation signal conserved within this class of nematode effector proteins. This discovery serves as a potential target for engineering a novel form of crop resistance to these important agricultural pests.

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