Comparative transcriptomics reveals conserved infection-associated gene expression in Phytophthora agathidicida across its natural gymnosperm host kauri and the model angiosperm host Nicotiana benthamiana.

P. agathidicida exhibits a conserved infection-associated gene expression program across its gymnosperm host A. australis and the angiosperm model N. benthamiana, with 1129 core genes upregulated in both.

• Why it matters: Understanding whether N. benthamiana can serve as a reliable model for studying P. agathidicida infection in its natural gymnosperm host is crucial for functional characterization of virulence factors, which is limited by difficulties working directly with A. australis.
• What they did: Researchers analyzed P. agathidicida gene expression in leaves and roots of N. benthamiana and compared it to previous transcriptomic data from A. australis, identifying a core set of conserved infection-related genes.
• The result: Findings support using N. benthamiana as a model for functional studies of P. agathidicida, revealing a largely conserved molecular strategy across hosts, but also highlighting host-specific gene expression differences such as a CAP protein that enhances pathogen growth only in N. benthamiana.