Strigolactone biosynthesis is evolutionarily conserved, regulated by phosphate starvation and contributes to resistance against phytopathogenic fungi in a moss, Physcomitrella patens
Decker EL, Alder A, Hunn S, Ferguson J, Lehtonen MT, Scheler B, Kerres KL, Wiedemann G, Safavi-Rizi V, Nordzieke S, Balakrishna A, Baz L, Avalos J, Valkonen JP, Reski R, Al-Babili S.
New Phytol. 2017;216(2):455-468.
We characterized the biochemical and functional properties of Physcomitrella patens CCD7 and CCD8 which catalyse the synthesis of the phytohormone strigolactone from beta-carotene. Our results show a deep evolutionary conservation of strigolactone biosynthesis and its role as a nutrient-dependent endogenous and exogenous signaling compound which induces seed germination and resistance against phytopathogenic fungi.
