Researchers have made a significant discovery on how to combat crop-killing gray mold without resorting to toxic chemicals. Gray mold utilizes lipid bubbles to transport RNA that suppresses plant immunity, leading to immense crop losses worldwide. This breakthrough could pave the way for eco-friendly fungicides that specifically target these bubbles, offering an effective solution without harmful chemicals.
The fungus responsible for gray mold has been a major challenge for farmers, affecting numerous fruits and vegetables like berries and tomatoes. However, scientists have now found a way to address this issue without relying on toxic chemical treatments. The discovery revolves around lipid “bubbles” produced by the mold cells, which play a crucial role in communication between the pathogen and its hosts, including various fungi, bacteria, and mammals. It turns out that gray mold uses these bubbles to facilitate successful infections.
For a long time, the significance of these lipid bubbles, also known as extracellular vesicles, was overlooked due to the difficulty in studying them. Nonetheless, recent research from UC Riverside shows that these bubbles are vital for delivering small RNA molecules that suppress plant immune systems, essentially acting as weapons for the mold.
The study revealed that a specific protein, tetraspanin, found on the surface of these bubbles is essential for their secretion and delivery. By targeting this protein, researchers could reduce the mold’s ability to infect plants. Additionally, previous research had identified genes responsible for the fungus’s production of small RNA molecules. Combining the elimination of these genes with the inhibition of tetraspanin production could lead to the development of RNA fungicides, offering an eco-friendly alternative to traditional chemical treatments.
This breakthrough is detailed in the journal Nature Communications, and it could have far-reaching implications in protecting global food supplies from gray mold and potentially other fungal pathogens. The use of RNA-based fungicides could be a promising and environmentally friendly approach to combatting these crop diseases as RNA is easily degraded in the environment without leaving harmful residues.
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Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) about Eco-friendly fungicides
1. What did the researchers discover about gray mold and crop losses?
Researchers discovered that gray mold uses lipid bubbles to carry RNA that silences plant immunity, leading to billions in crop losses annually.
2. How might the findings help combat gray mold without toxic chemicals?
The findings may lead to new eco-friendly fungicides that target the lipid bubbles carrying RNA, providing an effective solution without the need for toxic chemicals.
3. Why has gray mold been a persistent problem for farmers?
Gray mold infects a wide variety of fruits and vegetables, causing significant crop losses, impacting more than 1,400 types of plants, and until now, there hasn’t been an effective cure.
4. What are extracellular vesicles, and why are they essential in this research?
Extracellular vesicles, also called lipid bubbles, are secreted by the mold cells and play a crucial role in communications between pathogens and their hosts. Gray mold uses these vesicles to deliver small RNA molecules that silence genes involved in plants’ immune systems.
5. How does the protein tetraspanin relate to the mold’s ability to cause infections?
The protein tetraspanin appears on the surface of the lipid bubbles, and the researchers found that eliminating the mold’s ability to produce tetraspanin reduced its ability to secrete and deliver the bubbles, hindering its infection abilities.
6. What potential benefits do RNA fungicides offer in comparison to traditional chemical treatments?
RNA fungicides made possible by this research are eco-friendly since RNA is easily degraded in the environment and doesn’t leave toxic residues, providing a safer and more sustainable approach to combat gray mold and other fungal pathogens.
7. Is gray mold the most damaging fungus for food crops in the world?
Gray mold is the second most damaging fungus for food crops globally, with the rice pathogen Magnaporthe ranking as the most damaging. However, RNA-based fungicides could also be effective against Magnaporthe and other fungal pathogens.
More about Eco-friendly fungicides
- Nature Communications: Fungal small RNAs ride in extracellular vesicles to enter plant cells through clathrin-mediated endocytosis (DOI: 10.1038/s41467-023-40093-4) Link
