Autophagy restricts symbiosis-associated cell death and regulates colonization by Serendipita indica in Arabidopsis.

ABSTRACT: Endophytic colonization of Arabidopsis (Arabidopsis thaliana) by the beneficial root endophyte Serendipita indica is characterized by an initial biotrophic phase, followed by a confined host cell death phase that facilitates fungal accommodation. However, the host molecular pathways that restrict S. indica proliferation and regulate symbiosis-associated cell death remain largely unknown. Our study demonstrates that autophagy, a key cellular degradation pathway that maintains homeostasis, is locally activated during colonization and is required to limit fungal proliferation and immunometabolic stress. Autophagy-deficient mutants exhibit elevated basal root cell death, increased colonization, and hypersensitivity to the fungal-derived purine metabolite 2'-deoxyadenosine (dAdo), an immunometa

SUBMITTER: Zecua-Ramirez P 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC12671557 | biostudies-literature | 2025 Nov

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature