Neofunctionalized RGF pathways drive haustorial organogenesis in parasitic plants.

ABSTRACT: Parasitic plants will initiate rapid de novo organogenesis of a specialized feeding structure called a haustorium upon contact with their hosts. Currently, little is known about the internal signals regulating haustorium development. Here, we identify root meristem growth factor (RGF) peptides in Phtheirospermum japonicum as endogenous inducers of prehaustorium formation. Treatment with specific RGF peptides in the absence of hosts triggered prehaustoria and induced expression of PjYUC3, a gene required for auxin biosynthesis and prehaustorium formation. CRISPR-mediated knockouts showed that PjRGFR1 and PjRGFR3, receptors activated by the haustorium-specific RGF peptides PjRGF2 and PjRGF5, are essential for prehaustorium formation, revealing functional redundancy. Phylogeneti

SUBMITTER: Fishman MR 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC12442845 | biostudies-literature | 2025 Sep

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature