Synchrotron X-ray fluorescence microscopy-enabled elemental mapping illuminates the 'battle for nutrients' between plant and pathogen.

ABSTRACT: Metal homeostasis is integral to normal plant growth and development. During plant-pathogen interactions, the host and pathogen compete for the same nutrients, potentially impacting nutritional homeostasis. Our knowledge of outcome of the interaction in terms of metal homeostasis is still limited. Here, we employed the X-ray fluorescence microscopy (XFM) beamline at the Australian Synchrotron to visualize and analyse the fate of nutrients in wheat leaves infected with Pyrenophora tritici-repentis, a necrotrophic fungal pathogen. We sought to (i) evaluate the utility of XFM for sub-micron mapping of essential mineral nutrients and (ii) examine the spatiotemporal impact of a pathogen on nutrient distribution in leaves. XFM maps of K, Ca, Fe, Cu, Mn, and Zn revealed substantial hyperaccumulat

SUBMITTER: Naim F 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC8006550 | biostudies-literature | 2021 Mar

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature