Plant Science Research Weekly April 25 plantae.org/plant-scienc... (2/2) Cryptic giant virus infection; A fungal switch between ally and aggressor; Stopping citrus greening with peptide therapy; A mechanosensitive ion channel helps parasitic plants clamp down.

Nature's viny vampire: Discovering what drives #parasitic #Cuscuta campestris

#dodder #CcMCA1 #sensing #ion_channels

phys.org/news/2025-03...

Using a technique called host-induced gene silencing, researchers confirmed CcMCA1's crucial role. When silenced, dodder produced fewer haustoria with greater spacing between them. This significantly hampered its ability to effectively parasitize host plants.

How does dodder "feel" its victims? When the vine coils around a host stem, it creates pressure on the plant's cell membranes. This activates the CcMCA1 channels, allowing calcium ions to flood into the cell—triggering a chemical cascade that ultimately leads to haustorium formation.

Jihwan Park and colleagues have taken a step towards de-fanging dodder by examining its genes. When they silenced the MID1-COMPLEMENTING ACTIVITY 1 (CcMCA1) gene, the plant's ability to form haustoria dramatically decreased, potentially offering a new way to control this pest.

Scientists have found a gene that gives the parasitic plant Cuscuta campestris, a powerful sense of touch. The gene CcMCA1 helps the plant create mechanosensitive ion channels, that allow it to recognise when it has coiled around a victim, and start producing tools to rob other plants.

ネナシカズラが持つ100個以上のイオンチャネル遺伝子の中からCuscuta campestris MID1-COMPLEMENTING ACTIVITY1 (CcMCA1)が機械的刺激を感知して吸器を発生させることが判明。

（Post:250212ｰ3）Among the more than 100 ion channel genes found in dodder, Cuscuta campestris MID1-COMPLEMENTING ACTIVITY1 (CcMCA1) was found to sense mechanical stimuli and generate haustorium.
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