Over 100 years after trypanosomatids were first discovered in plant tissues, Phytomonas parasites have now been isolated across the globe from members of 24 different plant families. Most identified species have not been associated with any plant pathology and to date only two species are definitively known to cause plant disease. These diseases (wilt of palm and coffee phloem necrosis) are problematic in areas of South America where they threaten the economies of developing countries. In contrast to their mammalian infective relatives, our knowledge of the biology of Phytomonas parasites and how they interact with their plant hosts is limited. This review draws together a century of research into plant trypanosomatids, from the first isolations and experimental infections to the recent publication of the first Phytomonas genomes. The availability of genomic data for these plant parasites opens a new avenue for comparative investigations into trypanosomatid biology and provides fresh insight into how this important group of parasites have adapted to survive in a spectrum of hosts from crocodiles to coconuts.
Phytomonas: Trypanosomatids Adapted to Plant Environments
Eleanor Jaskowska,Claire E. Butler,G. Preston,S. Kelly
Published 2015 in PLoS Pathogens
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- Publication year
2015
- Venue
PLoS Pathogens
- Publication date
2015-01-01
- Fields of study
Biology, Medicine, Environmental Science
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- Source metadata
Semantic Scholar, PubMed
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