Summary: In the evolutionary arms race between pathogens and plants, pathogens evolved effector molecules that they secrete into the host to subvert plant cellular responses in a process termed the effector-targeted pathway (ETP). During recent years the repertoire of ETPs has increased and mounting evidence indicates that the proteasome and autophagy pathways are central hubs of microbial effectors. Both degradation pathways are implicated in a broad array of cellular responses and thus constitute an attractive target for effector proteins to have a broader impact on the host. In this article we first summarize recent findings on how effectors from various pathogens modulate proteolytic pathways and then provide a network analysis of established effector targets implicated in proteolytic degradation machineries. With this network we emphasize the idea that effectors targeting proteolytic degradation pathways will affect the protein synthesis-transport and degradation triangle. We put in perspective that, in utilizing the effector diversity of microbes, we produce excellent tools to study diverse cellular pathways and their possible interplay with each other.
In this opinion article, published in Trends in Microbiology, we are suggesting the idea that effectors targeting plant proteostasis will have a broader impact on the host cell. Suppressing or activating distinct degradation machineries will have an impact on other cellular machineries such as protein transport and/or translation, and we therefore propose a model in which effector proteins affect the triangle model of protein synthesis, transport, and degradation.
The idea of writing this article developed during a coffee break in our institute one year ago. We did not want to write another review on effectors or autophagy as there are already so many excellent reviews covering these topics. By providing a “network” analysis of microbial effectors and known targets we tried to highlight and reveal novel connections that might be interesting for future studies in the effector community. With this small piece of work you you will also find many hints what we are currently working on and plan to work on in the future. Effectors are fantastic probes to elucidate pathways within an organism, leading to unknown interplays and connections.
And finally, huge thanks to my fantastic team members Gautier Langin and Paul Gouguet who made this all possible. We are also grateful to Trends in Microbiology for giving us this unique chance to contribute this work! Enjoy reading our article-it is open access! Here is the link:
https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0966842X20300469#f0005