Mechanistic dissection of Candidatus Liberibacter Triggered Chronic Immune Disease
Authors: Huang, X., Ma, W., Wang, W., Feng, Y., Lamichhane, T., Xu, J., Sheo, P. S., Achor, D. S., Li, J., Wang, Y., Dalmendray, J. L., Hu, Z., Ribeiro, C., Zhang, N., Kunta, M., Hansen, A. K., Wang, N.
The study demonstrates that Candidatus Liberibacter asiaticus induces reactive oxygen species production in chloroplasts and phloem callose deposition, leading to cell death and Huanglongbing (HLB) symptoms in citrus. Genetic manipulation—overexpressing chloroplast flavodoxin to reduce ROS, and editing callose synthase genes—along with chemical inhibition of callose formation, mitigates disease severity, while tomato‑Lpsy infection models reveal key immune regulators (Eds1, Pad4) required for these responses. These findings provide genetic evidence for a CLas‑triggered immune disease and suggest precision breeding strategies for HLB resistance.