Bacterium in focus: Double defense against herbal defense forces!

Bacterium in focus: Double defense against herbal defense forces!

Bochum, Deutschland - A research team from the Ruhr University Bochum and the Jülich research center has gained new knowledge about the bacterium-damaging bacterium agrobacterium tumefaciens . These bacteria are known to damage plants by causing tumors, especially over 140 types of dicotylene plants. The most affected plants include vines, stone fruits, walnut trees, sugar beets, horseradish and rhubarb. The focus of the study is on the mechanisms, the a. Use tumefaciens to defend plant defense materials.

The bacterium uses two sensors to identify reactive oxygen species, which are produced by plants for defense. These reactive oxygen species have to damage the potential to damage the attackers of DNA, lipids and proteins. An already well -characterized sensor, Oxyr, and a newly discovered sensor, LSRB, are the focus of research. The results of the study were published in the journal nucleic acids research on April 7, 2025. Janka Schmidt, the first author of the study, emphasizes that the results offer potential applications to combat infections and to optimize useful bacteria in biotechnology.

important role in plant biotechnology

agrobacterium tumefaciens is not only known as a plant pathogen, but also plays an important role in plant biotechnology. The natural ability of the bacterium to transfer DNA into the genomes of host plants has made it an important tool for genetic manipulations. According to an incoming analysis, which Mitchell G. Thompson and colleagues published, the transformation rates in various plant species and types could be increased by targeted modulation of the expression of virulence mediators. These findings indicate that the use of synthesis -based approaches for the targeted engineering technology of a. could offer tumefaciens .

The authors also emphasize the need to pursue a rigorous approach in synthetic biology in order to a. Tumefaciens strains for the plant transformation to further adjust. Innovative methods such as the production of market-free plants in the T1 generation could play an important role, in particular the use of CRE recombinase for precise genetic control.

Interkingdom DNA Transfer

Another remarkable feature of a. Tumefaciens is that it represents the only known example of Interkingdom DNA transfer. This means that the bacterium is able to integrate its plasmid DNA into the chromosomes of infected plant cells. This ability not only enables genetic manipulation of plants, but also carries risks, since a. Tumefaciens occurs as a serious pathogen that causes tumors in plants.

The bacterium belongs to the Rhizobiaceae family and is classified as a gram -negative stick bacterium. With enlargements up to 3,000 times, you can see your characteristic shape and structure, which is visible under the microscope. These microscopic insights support the understanding of the interactions between a. Tumefaciens and its plant host.