Biology and resource acquisition of mistletoes, and the defense responses of host plants
| dc.contributor.author | Muche, Meseret | |
| dc.contributor.author | Muasya, A M | |
| dc.contributor.author | Tsegay, Berhanu A | |
| dc.date.accessioned | 2022-04-11T07:58:15Z | |
| dc.date.available | 2022-04-11T07:58:15Z | |
| dc.date.issued | 2022-02-21 | |
| dc.date.updated | 2022-02-27T04:12:36Z | |
| dc.description.abstract | Background Mistletoes are the most successful group of obligatory hemi-parasitic flowering plants that attach to the host via haustorium for obtaining water and minerals. This review aims to assess the current knowledge on mistletoes host plant recognition, haustorium formation, water/minerals acquisition, and host plants’ defense signaling and responses against mistletoe attack. Results Some mistletoes are host-specific while others are generalists occurring on a wide range of vascular plants. The host nitrogen (N) content, parasite–host chemical interactions, compatibility, and dispersal agents are the main determinant factors for host specificity. Mistletoes take up substantial amounts of water and minerals passively via apoplastic routes, and most are xylem feeders, but could shift to phloem-feeding during the physiological stress of the host plants. Current evidence highlighted that cell wall loosening and modification are critical during the development of the haustorium in the host tissue. This is made possible by the application of physical pressures by the developing haustorium and cell wall degradation using enzymes (xyloglucan endotransglycosylases, glucanase, expansins, etc.) produced by the mistletoe. Host plants defend against mistletoe infection mechanically by producing spines, lignin, suberin, etc., which discourages dispersers, and chemically defend by killing the infector or inhibiting the establishment of the haustorium using their secondary metabolites such as terpenes, phenolics, and N-containing compounds. Although the host plants' response to mistletoe attack resembles the response to other biotic stresses, unlike short-term stressors, the effect of mistletoe attack is long-term and depends on the parasite load. Infection by mistletoe leads to water and nutrient stress of the host plant and deteriorates its healthy establishment and survival. Conclusion Mistletoes are heterogeneous group in the order Santalales which have versatile mechanisms for pollination, seed dispersal and nutrient acquisition from host plants. Infection by mistletoes triggers host plant responses, varying from mechanical to chemical mechanisms which are analogous to herbivory defences, and negatively impacts host plant growth and reproduction. | en_US |
| dc.identifier.apacitation | Muche, M., Muasya, A. M., & Tsegay, B. A. (2022). Biology and resource acquisition of mistletoes, and the defense responses of host plants. <i>Ecological Processes</i>, 11(1), 24. http://hdl.handle.net/11427/36323 | en_ZA |
| dc.identifier.chicagocitation | Muche, Meseret, A M Muasya, and Berhanu A Tsegay "Biology and resource acquisition of mistletoes, and the defense responses of host plants." <i>Ecological Processes</i> 11, 1. (2022): 24. http://hdl.handle.net/11427/36323 | en_ZA |
| dc.identifier.citation | Muche, M., Muasya, A.M. & Tsegay, B.A. 2022. Biology and resource acquisition of mistletoes, and the defense responses of host plants. <i>Ecological Processes.</i> 11(1):24. http://hdl.handle.net/11427/36323 | en_ZA |
| dc.identifier.ris | TY - Journal Article AU - Muche, Meseret AU - Muasya, A M AU - Tsegay, Berhanu A AB - Background Mistletoes are the most successful group of obligatory hemi-parasitic flowering plants that attach to the host via haustorium for obtaining water and minerals. This review aims to assess the current knowledge on mistletoes host plant recognition, haustorium formation, water/minerals acquisition, and host plants’ defense signaling and responses against mistletoe attack. Results Some mistletoes are host-specific while others are generalists occurring on a wide range of vascular plants. The host nitrogen (N) content, parasite–host chemical interactions, compatibility, and dispersal agents are the main determinant factors for host specificity. Mistletoes take up substantial amounts of water and minerals passively via apoplastic routes, and most are xylem feeders, but could shift to phloem-feeding during the physiological stress of the host plants. Current evidence highlighted that cell wall loosening and modification are critical during the development of the haustorium in the host tissue. This is made possible by the application of physical pressures by the developing haustorium and cell wall degradation using enzymes (xyloglucan endotransglycosylases, glucanase, expansins, etc.) produced by the mistletoe. Host plants defend against mistletoe infection mechanically by producing spines, lignin, suberin, etc., which discourages dispersers, and chemically defend by killing the infector or inhibiting the establishment of the haustorium using their secondary metabolites such as terpenes, phenolics, and N-containing compounds. Although the host plants' response to mistletoe attack resembles the response to other biotic stresses, unlike short-term stressors, the effect of mistletoe attack is long-term and depends on the parasite load. Infection by mistletoe leads to water and nutrient stress of the host plant and deteriorates its healthy establishment and survival. Conclusion Mistletoes are heterogeneous group in the order Santalales which have versatile mechanisms for pollination, seed dispersal and nutrient acquisition from host plants. Infection by mistletoes triggers host plant responses, varying from mechanical to chemical mechanisms which are analogous to herbivory defences, and negatively impacts host plant growth and reproduction. DA - 2022-02-21 DB - OpenUCT DP - University of Cape Town IS - 1 J1 - Ecological Processes KW - Biotic stress KW - Haustorium KW - Host defense KW - Mistletoes KW - Mimicry KW - Resource procurement LK - https://open.uct.ac.za PY - 2022 T1 - Biology and resource acquisition of mistletoes, and the defense responses of host plants TI - Biology and resource acquisition of mistletoes, and the defense responses of host plants UR - http://hdl.handle.net/11427/36323 ER - | en_ZA |
| dc.identifier.uri | https://doi.org/10.1186/s13717-021-00355-9 | |
| dc.identifier.uri | http://hdl.handle.net/11427/36323 | |
| dc.identifier.vancouvercitation | Muche M, Muasya AM, Tsegay BA. Biology and resource acquisition of mistletoes, and the defense responses of host plants. Ecological Processes. 2022;11(1):24. http://hdl.handle.net/11427/36323. | en_ZA |
| dc.language.iso | en | en_US |
| dc.language.rfc3066 | en | |
| dc.publisher.department | Department of Biological Sciences | en_US |
| dc.publisher.faculty | Faculty of Science | en_US |
| dc.rights.holder | The Author(s) | |
| dc.rights.uri | http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/ | en_US |
| dc.source | Ecological Processes | en_US |
| dc.source.journalissue | 1 | en_US |
| dc.source.journalvolume | 11 | en_US |
| dc.source.pagination | 24 | en_US |
| dc.source.uri | https://ecologicalprocesses.springeropen.com/ | |
| dc.subject | Biotic stress | en_US |
| dc.subject | Haustorium | en_US |
| dc.subject | Host defense | en_US |
| dc.subject | Mistletoes | en_US |
| dc.subject | Mimicry | en_US |
| dc.subject | Resource procurement | en_US |
| dc.title | Biology and resource acquisition of mistletoes, and the defense responses of host plants | en_US |
| dc.type | Journal Article | en_US |