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Communication between plant cells and interacting microorganisms requires the secretion and uptake of functional molecules to and from the extracellular environment and is essential for the survival of both plants and their pathogens. Extracellular vesicles (EVs) are lipid bilayer–enclosed spheres that deliver RNA, protein, and metabolite cargos from donor to recipient cells and participate in many cellular processes. Emerging evidencehas shown that both plant and microbial EVs play important roles in cross-kingdom molecular exchange between hosts and interacting microbes to modulate host immunity and pathogen virulence. Recent studies revealed that plant EVs function as a defense system by encasing and delivering small RNAs (sRNAs) into pathogens, thereby mediating cross-species and cross-kingdom RNA interference to silence virulence-related genes. This review focuses on the latest advances in our understanding of plant and microbial EVs and their roles in transporting regulatory molecules, especially sRNAs, between hosts and pathogens. EV biogenesis and secretion are also discussed, as EV function relies on these important processes.
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Plant extracellular vesicles: Trojan horses of cross‐kingdom warfare
Abstract Plants communicate with their interacting microorganisms through the exchange of functional molecules. This communication is critical for plant immunity, for pathogen virulence, and for establishing and maintaining symbioses. Extracellular vesicles (EVs) are lipid bilayer‐enclosed spheres that are released by both the host and the microbe into the extracellular environment. Emerging evidence has shown that EVs play a prominent role in plant–microbe interactions by safely transporting functional molecules, such as proteins and RNAs to interacting organisms. Recent studies revealed that plant EVs deliver fungal gene‐targeting small RNAs into fungal pathogens to suppress infection via cross‐kingdom RNA interference (RNAi). In this review, we focus on the recent advances in our understanding of plant EVs and their role in plant–microbe interactions.
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- PAR ID:
- 10642994
- Publisher / Repository:
- DOI PREFIX: 10.1096
- Date Published:
- Journal Name:
- FASEB BioAdvances
- Volume:
- 3
- Issue:
- 9
- ISSN:
- 2573-9832
- Format(s):
- Medium: X Size: p. 657-664
- Size(s):
- p. 657-664
- Sponsoring Org:
- National Science Foundation
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