In a study three decades in the making, researchers from Rutgers University and Brookhaven National Laboratory have uncovered new details about a plant enzyme that could transform agriculture by enhancing disease resistance in crops.
In a collaboration between Rutgers University and Brookhaven National Laboratory, scientists have achieved a significant breakthrough in plant biology. Through advanced crystallography and computer modeling techniques, the researchers have detailed the structure and regulatory mechanism of metacaspase 9, a pivotal plant enzyme. This discovery has the potential to revolutionize the agricultural industry by providing new ways to protect crops from devastating diseases.
The researchers, led by Eric Lam from Rutgers University-New Brunswick and Qun Liu at Brookhaven National Laboratory, have published their findings in the journal Nature Communications.
Their study elucidates how metacaspase 9, a protein enzyme known to play a crucial role in programmed cell death, can be harnessed to combat plant diseases more effectively.
“Understanding the shape and mode of activation for metacaspase 9 means we can now design long-sought tools to harness its known biological functions to protect plants from diseases and environmental stresses that could decimate crops,” Liu, a structural biologist in Brookhaven’s Biology Department, said in a news release.
Metacaspase 9 is key to the process of programmed cell death, where cells intentionally die to benefit the organism as a whole.
By utilizing X-ray crystallography at Brookhaven’s National Synchrotron Light Source II (NSLS-II), the team has revealed the enzyme’s structure at the atomic level and observed its activation under different acidic conditions. The combination of crystallography data with molecular dynamic simulations has provided a comprehensive understanding of how the enzyme behaves and changes shape.
“This work could usher in much safer and effective treatments for our crops worldwide,” added Lam, a Distinguished Professor in the Department of Plant Biology in the Rutgers School of Environmental and Biological Sciences.
By strengthening metacaspase 9, the researchers aim to enhance plants’ natural defenses against biotrophic diseases caused by organisms like Phytophthora infestans, which was responsible for the historic potato blight in Ireland.
Conversely, inhibiting the enzyme’s function could prevent necrotrophic pathogens from exploiting it to kill plant cells, providing dual protection strategies.
The team has already taken steps to bring this discovery to practical application. Lam and Liu have filed a provisional patent with the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office for technologies developed from their findings.
These innovations may lead to novel and more effective treatments for managing plant diseases, such as powdery mildew, rusts and white mold.
“For many of the plant diseases, especially fungi, effective fungicide treatment options are few and, in many cases, environmental concerns are quite serious,” Lam added. “By creating hyperactive versions of metacaspase 9, we may protect plants from these biotrophs by causing cell death at the invasion site earlier, thus cutting off their food supply.”
The research team’s achievements signal a monumental step forward in plant biology, offering hope for more sustainable and resilient agricultural practices worldwide.
Source: Rutgers University