The Nuclear Effector MiISE23 From Meloidogyne incognita Targets JAZ Proteins and Suppresses Jasmonate Signalling, Increasing Host Susceptibility

• DOI: 10.1111/pce.15461
• Publication Date: 2025-03-10T02:08:45Z
• Authors: Qianqian Shi; Rui Liu; Lijun Jiang; Shasha Gao; Juan Ma; Xiaoxuan Tian; Chunyu Jiang; Chen Liang; Honghai Zhao; Wenwen Song; Bingyan Xie
• Keywords: Jasmonate; Methyl jasmonate

Meloidogyne incognita is an economically important plant-parasitic nematode that can infect thousands of different plant species. During its interaction with host plants, M. synthesises numerous effectors in oesophageal glands, which are then secreted into tissues. Here, we characterised the effector MiISE23 and found it could suppress immune responses. In situ hybridisation showed was expressed subventral glands. Transgenic Arabidopsis plants expressing were more susceptible to incognita, whereas host-derived RNAi decrease infection Arabidopsis. vitro vivo experiments repressed jasmonate (JA) signalling by directly interacting suppressing jasmonoyl-isoleucine (JA-Ile)-induced degradation ZIM-domain proteins COI1. The expression JA-responsive genes reduced levels endogenous JA-Ile. AtJAZ6 transgenic lines increased susceptibility infection. Collectively, our results show stabilises JAZ interferes JA signalling, revealing a novel mechanism utilised root-knot nematodes hijack phytohormone promote parasitism.