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Review
. 2021 Dec:64:102141.
doi: 10.1016/j.pbi.2021.102141. Epub 2021 Nov 20.

Specialized metabolites as mediators for plant-fungus crosstalk and their evolving roles

Ayousha Shahi  1 , Sibongile Mafu  2
Affiliations
Review

Specialized metabolites as mediators for plant-fungus crosstalk and their evolving roles

Ayousha Shahi et al. Curr Opin Plant Biol. 2021 Dec.

Abstract

Plants, fungi, and bacteria produce numerous natural products with bioactive properties essential for ecological adaptation. Because of their chemical complexity, these natural products have been adapted for diverse applications in industry. The discovery of their biosynthetic pathways has been accelerated due to improved 'omics' approaches, metabolic engineering, and the availability of genetic manipulation techniques. Ongoing research into these metabolites is not only resolving the enzymatic diversity underlying their biosynthesis but also delving into the physiological and mechanistic basis of their modes of action. This review highlights progress made in the elucidation of biosynthetic pathways and biological roles of specialized metabolites, focusing on some that play important roles at the interface of plant-fungus interactions.

Keywords: Biosynthesis; Metabolic engineering; Natural products; Specialized metabolites; Terpenes.

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Conflict of interest statement

Declaration of competing interest Nothing declared.

Figures

Figure 1:
Figure 1:. Multiple roles of diterpenoids in rice.
(A) An overview of diterpenoid biosynthesis. (B) The multiple (emerging) biological roles of the diterpenoids.
Figure 2:
Figure 2:. Chemical structures of phytopathogen metabolites that facilitate virulence
(A) Phytohormones essential for plant growth and development that are used by fungal pathogens to manipulate their hosts. (B) Toxins produced by fungal organisms to ensure virulence. (C) Recent examples of specialized metabolites involved in virulence. Higginsianin B is a terpenoid involved in modulating the plant (Arabidopsis) JA pathway, and fusaoctaxin A, a linear non-ribosomal octapeptide that facilitates invasion of wheat through adjacent cell movement.
See this image and copyright information in PMC

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