Evidence map›Paper›PMID 42432474›Full record

ArticleBMC plant biology2026

Genetic variation and proliferation-promoting virulence function of thymidine kinase from Paulownia witches' broom phytoplasma.

Chuansheng Song, Dezhi Kong, Xia Li, Jungang Wang, You Lv, Gaofeng Liu, Lihong Dong, Xiaofei Kang, Xiaofei Li, Keyu Guo and 2 more

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Article in BMC plant biology, 2026. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Not yet cited in PubMed.

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5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

12 authors.

Chuansheng SongCollege of Agricultural and Biological Engineering, Heze University, Heze, 274015, China.
Dezhi KongKey Laboratory of Forest Protection of National Forestry and Grassland Administration, Ecology and Nature Conservation Institute, Chinese Academy of Forestry, Beijing, 100091, China.
Xia LiCollege of Agricultural and Biological Engineering, Heze University, Heze, 274015, China.
Jungang WangCollege of Agricultural and Biological Engineering, Heze University, Heze, 274015, China.
You LvCollege of Agricultural and Biological Engineering, Heze University, Heze, 274015, China.
Gaofeng LiuCollege of Agricultural and Biological Engineering, Heze University, Heze, 274015, China.
Lihong DongCollege of Agricultural and Biological Engineering, Heze University, Heze, 274015, China.
Xiaofei KangCollege of Agricultural and Biological Engineering, Heze University, Heze, 274015, China.
Xiaofei LiCollege of Agricultural and Biological Engineering, Heze University, Heze, 274015, China.
Keyu GuoCollege of Agricultural and Biological Engineering, Heze University, Heze, 274015, China.
Caili Lin *Key Laboratory of Forest Protection of National Forestry and Grassland Administration, Ecology and Nature Conservation Institute, Chinese Academy of Forestry, Beijing, 100091, China. lincl@caf.ac.cn.
Cuiping Wan *College of Agricultural and Biological Engineering, Heze University, Heze, 274015, China. wcp423@163.com.

Funding

Doctoral Fund of Heze University XY23BS25National Natural Science Foundation of China 31800545Natural Science Foundation of Shandong Province ZR2019PC03Natural Science Foundation of Shandong Province ZR2023QC182the Youth Innovation Program of Universities in Shandong Province No. 2025KJI024
6 · The paper itself

Abstract

backgroundPaulownia witches' broom disease (PaWB), caused by phytoplasmas, results in economic losses. Thymidine kinase (TDK) is a key enzyme in the deoxythymidine triphosphate‌ (dTTP) synthesis pathway of phytoplasma, and dTTP serves as an essential precursor for DNA replication during cell proliferation, but its role in regulating phytoplasma proliferation and virulence remains unclear.

resultsTo characterize the role of TDK in phytoplasma proliferation and virulence, in this study, two PaWB phytoplasma tdk genotypes were identified via sampling in China, and tdk-1 was the most widely distributed. Phylogenetic analysis revealed that single-copied tdk exhibited higher phylogenetic resolution than 16S rRNA for phytoplasma molecular classification. In silico prediction showed that TDK functions as a thymidine kinase in these phytoplasmas. Furthermore, TDK protein expression was detected in PaWB-infected tissues. Immunofluorescence microscopy showed that TDK co-localized with phytoplasmas in sieve tube elements. Immunoelectron microscopy showed that TDK mainly localized in dividing phytoplasma cells. Absolute quantitative analysis revealed that tdk mRNA expression was positively associated with phytoplasma proliferation. Overexpressing tdk in Pseudomonas syringae pv. tomato (Pst) DC3000 significantly enhanced bacterial growth and increased its virulence in Arabidopsis.

conclusionsOverall, these results identify phytoplasma TDK as a critical proliferation-associated pathogenicity factor that promotes pathogen proliferation, providing a potential molecular target for controlling PaWB.

Indexed as

Bacterial ProteinsGenetic VariationPhytoplasmaPlant DiseasesThymidine KinasePhylogenyVirulenceBacterial ProteinsThymidine KinaseImmunoelectron microscopyPathogen proliferationPaulownia witches’ broom disease (PaWB)PhytoplasmasProliferation-associated pathogenicity factorThymidine kinase

Identifiers

PMID42432474
PMCPMC13637368

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