“A newly discovered manipulation mechanism used by parasitic bacteria to slow down plant aging, may offer new ways to protect disease-threatened food crops,” reported a Sept. 17 press release from the John Innes Centre, a U.K.-based center of excellence in plant science, genetics, and microbiology. (https://www.jic.ac.uk/press-release/the-microbial-molecule-that-turns-plants-into-zombies/)
“Research from the Hogenhout group at the John Innes Centre and collaborators published in Cell, has identified a manipulation molecule produced by Phytoplasma bacteria to hijack plant development. When inside a plant, this protein causes key growth regulators to be broken down, triggering abnormal growth.
“Phytoplasma bacteria belong to a group of microbes that are notorious for their ability to reprogram the development of their host plants. This group of bacteria are often responsible for the ‘witches’ brooms’ seen in trees, where an excessive number of branches grow close together.
