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Poster

Session: Session 1 Presenting Authors at Posters (Evens)

P-042 - Identification of MARVELlous Protein Markers for Phytophthora infestans Extracellular Vesicles

Tuesday, July 15, 2025
09:55 - 11:30  
Location: Confex Hall 3
Extracellular & Intracellular non-self recognition & signaling

    Presenting Author(s)

  • HM

    Hazel McLellan, PhD

    University of Dundee
    Invergowrie, Scotland, United Kingdom

    • Author(s)

  • SB

    Susan Breen

    Post-doc
    Divison of Plant Science
    Dundee, Scotland, United Kingdom

  • WW

    Wei Wang

    University of Dundee
    Dundee, UNITED KINGDOM

  • PB

    Petra C. Boevink

    James hutton institute
    Dundee, Scotland, United Kingdom

  • PB

    Paul R.J. Birch

    University of Dundee
    Dundee, Scotland, United Kingdom

  • SW

    Shumei Wang

    University of Dundee
    Dundee, Scotland, United Kingdom

  • SW

    Stephen C. Whisson

    Principle Investigator
    James Hutton institute
    Dundee, Scotland, United Kingdom

  • LW

    Lydia Welsh

    Laboratory Technician
    James Hutton institute
    Dundee, Scotland, United Kingdom

  • JP

    Jasmine Pham

    Post-doc
    university of dundee
    Dundee, Scotland, United Kingdom

Extracellular vesicles (EVs) are released from cells by unconventional secretion, but little is known about the biogenesis routes, composition or cargoes of EVs from fungal or oomycete plant pathogens. We investigated the proteome of EV-associated proteins secreted by the oomycete Phytophthora infestans, cause of potato late blight disease. We found that vesicle-associated proteins, transmembrane proteins and RXLR effectors, which are delivered into host cells to suppress immunity, were enriched in the EV proteome. By contrast, the EV-independent secreted proteome was enriched in cell wall modifying enzymes and apoplastic effectors which act outside plant cells. Two proteins each containing two tetraspanning MARVEL domains, PiMDP1 and PiMDP2, were associated with P. infestans EVs. PiMDP1 and PiMDP2 were co-buoyant with RXLR effectors in sucrose density fractions containing EVs and co-localised frequently with each other and with RXLRs at vesicles within pathogen hyphae grown in vitro and during infection. Interestingly, PiMDP2, which is up-regulated during the early biotrophic phase of infection, accumulates at the haustorial interface, a major site of effector secretion during infection. We argue that PiMDP1 and PiMDP2 are molecular markers that will facilitate studies of the biogenesis and secretion of infection-associated P. infestans EVs.