The parasitic mechanism of the holostemparasitic plant Cuscuta

Journal of plant interactions

article

Takeshi Furuhashi¹  Katsuhisa Furuhashi²  Wolfram Weckwerth¹ 

[1] Department of Molecular System Biology, University of Vienna;Department of Parasitic Plant Physiology, Maeda-Institute of Plant Resources

关键词: Cuscuta;    holoparasitic plant;    haustorium;    photomorphogenesis;    plant interaction;   

DOI  :  10.1080/17429145.2010.541945

学科分类：纳米科学和纳米技术

来源: Taylor & Francis

【 摘 要 】

Cuscuta is a stem holoparasitic plant without leaves or roots, which develops a haustorium and sucks nutrients from host plants. The genus Cuscuta comprises about 200 species, many of which can cause severe problems for certain crops. The parasitic process in Cuscuta begins in finding and attaching to a host plant and then developing a haustorium. The process does not always require any chemical signal, but does require a light signal. Finding a host involves detecting the lower red light:far-red light ratio near a potential host plant by phytochrome. A contact signal is also necessary for haustorium induction. Apparently, cytokinin increase is downstream of the light and contact signal and is critical for haustorium induction. This pathway, however, appears to be slightly different from a standard pathway. The direct connection between Cuscuta and its host involves both the xylem and phloem, and mRNA and proteins can translocate. Several features indicate that Cuscuta is a useful model plant for parasite plant research as well as plant–plant interaction research. These include the simple anatomical structure and seedling development, no chemical requirement for haustorium induction, and the wide range of host plants.

【 授权许可】

CC BY|CC BY-NC