Jasmonic acid signalling is targeted by a smut fungal Tin2-fold effector
Abstract
Jasmonate signalling integrates environmental cues with plant growth and development. Owing to its role in balancing defence responses against pathogens, it is a target of effector proteins from various pathogens. Here, we characterized the fungal effector protein Tue1 from the Brassicaceae smut fungus Thecaphora thlaspeos, which naturally infects Arabis hirsuta but can also colonize Arabidopsis thaliana. In planta, Tue1 hijacks the plant importin-α-dependent nuclear transporter to reach the plant nucleus. We demonstrate that Tue1 interacts with jasmonate ZIM-domain 10 (JAZ10) proteins of both A. thaliana and A. hirsuta. Structure-guided analysis of Tue1 suggests that it binds the Jas motif of JAZ10, indicating a role in stabilization or binding competition with proteins such as MYC3 and COI1. This is further supported by reduced jasmonate concentrations upon tue1 overexpression in A. thaliana and differential regulation of a subset of jasmonate-responsive genes during T. thlaspeos infection of A. hirsuta. Tue1 is part of the Tin2-fold effector family recently described in the corn smut Ustilago maydis. Our study demonstrates that this effector family is expanded across smut fungal species, although further studies are needed to reveal whether targeting JAZ repressors is a conserved mechanism or specifically acquired as an adaptation to the perennial host.
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BibTeX
@article{gul2026jasmonic,
title = {{Jasmonic acid signalling is targeted by a smut fungal Tin2-fold effector}},
author = {Summia Gul and Gabriel Mendoza-Rojas and Max Heinen and Natascha Heßler and Stefanie Galle and Jürgen Zeier and Sander H J Smits and Florian Altegoer and Vera Göhre},
journal = {Journal of Experimental Botany},
year = {2026},
month = oct,
doi = {10.1093/jxb/eraf381},
url = {https://hal.science/hal-05780514v1},
note = {CC BY-NC-ND},
}
RIS
TY - JOUR
TI - Jasmonic acid signalling is targeted by a smut fungal Tin2-fold effector
AU - Summia Gul
AU - Gabriel Mendoza-Rojas
AU - Max Heinen
AU - Natascha Heßler
AU - Stefanie Galle
AU - Jürgen Zeier
AU - Sander H J Smits
AU - Florian Altegoer
AU - Vera Göhre
PY - 2026
DA - 2026/10/06
JO - Journal of Experimental Botany
DO - 10.1093/jxb/eraf381
UR - https://hal.science/hal-05780514v1
AB - Jasmonate signalling integrates environmental cues with plant growth and development. Owing to its role in balancing defence responses against pathogens, it is a target of effector proteins from various pathogens. Here, we characterized the fungal effector protein Tue1 from the Brassicaceae smut fungus Thecaphora thlaspeos, which naturally infects Arabis hirsuta but can also colonize Arabidopsis thaliana. In planta, Tue1 hijacks the plant importin-α-dependent nuclear transporter to reach the plant nucleus. We demonstrate that Tue1 interacts with jasmonate ZIM-domain 10 (JAZ10) proteins of both A. thaliana and A. hirsuta. Structure-guided analysis of Tue1 suggests that it binds the Jas motif of JAZ10, indicating a role in stabilization or binding competition with proteins such as MYC3 and COI1. This is further supported by reduced jasmonate concentrations upon tue1 overexpression in A. thaliana and differential regulation of a subset of jasmonate-responsive genes during T. thlaspeos infection of A. hirsuta. Tue1 is part of the Tin2-fold effector family recently described in the corn smut Ustilago maydis. Our study demonstrates that this effector family is expanded across smut fungal species, although further studies are needed to reveal whether targeting JAZ repressors is a conserved mechanism or specifically acquired as an adaptation to the perennial host.
SN - 0022-0957
SN - 1460-2431
ER -