Mechanism by which bacterium Xoo interacts with rice plants uncovered

Mechanism by which bacterium Xoo interacts with rice plants uncovered

Part of: GS Prelims and GS-III – Biotechnology

In news

• Recently, scientists from the Centre for Plant Molecular Biology (CPMB) have uncovered the mechanism by which bacterium called Xoo causes disease in rice plants.
• Xanthomonas oryzae pv. oryzae (Xoo) causes a serious bacterial leaf blight disease in rice. 
• It is also known as Bacterial blight.

Key takeaways

• The most-common method of defending against rice bacterial blight is the cultivation of rice varieties with genes that confer resistance to Xoo infection.

• However, this method involves breeding or gene manipulation techniques that are laborious and time-consuming.

New Approach

• Scientists are working to identify and develop few molecules which are derived either from the Xoo bacterium or from the infected rice cell walls.
• Treatment of rice with cellulase, a cell wall degrading enzyme secreted by Xoo induces rice immune responses and protects rice from subsequent infections by Xoo.

Important value additions

Xoo 

• It is a gram-negative bacterium.

• Xoo infection causes huge yield losses to rice cultivation throughout the world.
• Since rice paddies are flooded throughout most of the growing season, Xoo may easily spread among crops. 
• Bacteria travel through the water from infected plants to the roots and leaves of neighbouring rice plants.
• Wind may also help spread the Xoo bacteria to other crops and rice paddies.