How parasitic plants can avoid self-attack

We spotlight recent findings from a Science paper that provide molecular insights into how parasitic plants avoid inducing haustorium development in their own or closely related species. A uridine diphosphate-dependent glucosyltransferase (UGT72B1) is identified to inactivate endogenous phenolic haustorium-inducing factors (HIFs) through glucosylation, preventing self-induction and thereby enabling kin avoidance. This study proposes a new approach to controlling parasitic plants by manipulating the biosynthesis or glucosylation of HIFs in crops, or by designing inhibitors to block glucosyltransferase function in parasitic plants. Parasitic plants obtain necessary water and nutrients by infecting host plants . Parasitic species from Cuscuta, Striga, and Orobanche are particularly damaging to agricultural productivity, often resulting in over 50% crop yield reductions and causing annual economic losses exceeding 1 billion dollars for cereal crops. Parasitic plants do not induce haustorium development in their own or closely related species. This phenomenon, known as kin avoidance, has molecular mechanisms that remain elusive. We spotlight recent findings from a Science paper that provide molecular insights into the mechanisms by which parasitic plants avoid inducing haustorium development in their own or closely related species. A uridine diphosphate-dependent glucosyltransferase (UGT72B1) has been identified, which can inactivate endogenous phenolic haustorium-inducing factors (HIFs) through glucosylation, thus preventing self-induction and enabling kin avoidance. This study proposes a new approach for controlling parasitic plants, which involves manipulating the biosynthesis or glucosylation of HIFs in crops, or through designing inhibitors to block the function of glucosyltransferase in parasitic plants