"Candidatus Liberibacter asiaticus" Infection Induces Citric Acid Accumulation and Immune Responses Mediated by the Transcription Factor CitPH4.

ABSTRACT: Citrus huanglongbing (HLB), caused by "Candidatus Liberibacter" spp., is one of the most disastrous citrus diseases worldwide. HLB-affected citrus fruits are significantly more acidic than healthy fruits. However, the molecular mechanism behind this phenomenon remains to be elucidated. Here, we report that HLB-affected fruits have higher levels of citric acid (CA) than healthy fruits. Moreover, Citrus PH4 (CitPH4), which encodes a MYB transcription factor that functions as a key regulator of CA accumulation, was upregulated in HLB-affected fruits relative to healthy fruits. Heterologous overexpression of CitPH4 in tobacco (Nicotiana tabacum) plants enhanced tolerance to HLB. Subsequently, overexpression and gene-editing experiments indicated that CitPH4 can affect the salicylic acid (SA) p

SUBMITTER: Hu B 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC11821725 | biostudies-literature | 2025 Feb

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature