Advertisement

Scientists discover rice plant's immune system trigger

Researchers say their discovery could help doctors better combat human diseases, too.

By Brooks Hays
A new discovery could boost rice production, the world's most important grain crop. Photo by Stephen Shaver/UPI
A new discovery could boost rice production, the world's most important grain crop. Photo by Stephen Shaver/UPI | License Photo

ACTON, Australia, July 27 (UPI) -- Researchers in Australia have isolated the molecule that alerts rice plants to the presence of bacterial leaf blight. The bacteria-secreted molecule, called RaxX, triggers the plant to turn on its immune system.

"We've discovered a new molecule that's never been seen before," Benjamin Schwessinger, an agricultural researcher at the Australian National University, said in a press release. "We've realised that this type of molecule plays an important role in the immune response of rice plants."

Advertisement

Researchers confirmed the importance of molecule after studying the behavior of plants that have naturally developed more successful defenses against the disease. They found that the rice plant's XA21 immune system had evolved to recognize the disease's presence by seeking out the RaxX molecule.

To confirm their work, researchers developed leaf blight bacteria mutants that failed to produce the key molecule. When exposed to previously resistant rice, the plants were unable to fend off the bacteria. Scientists were then able to isolate the gene that produces RaxX, a tyrosine-sulfated protein.

"It will now be much easier to develop containment strategies against the disease and breed more robust rice plants," Schwessinger said.

Advertisement

Rice makes up more than a fifth of the world's diet, feeding millions. Bolstering the crop against disease outbreaks could save rice growers millions, and better secure sources of nutrition for impoverished eaters.

But researchers say their discovery could help doctors better combat human diseases, too.

"Several major human diseases, for example HIV, involve tyrosine sulfated proteins. The sulfation stabilises the molecules but its role in binding and cell entry is not precisely understood," Schwessinger said. "The new understanding could lead to the development of novel methods to block such diseases."

The new findings were published in the journal Science Advances.

Latest Headlines