A research team led by Professor Huang Lili from Northwest A&F University recently published a paper in Plant Physiology, revealing that VmPR1c, a key virulence effector protein from the apple tree canker pathogen, can inhibit the expression and function of the apple VQ protein MdVQ29 to interfere with the host's jasmonic acid signaling pathway mediated immune response, thereby facilitating the infection of canker pathogen. 

 

The study shows that MdVQ29 is a key protein that positively regulates apple's resistance against the pathogen. VmPR1c can inhibit the expression and function of MdVQ29, suppress downstream signal transduction pathways, and weaken the jasmonic acid mediated immune response of the host. 

 

This study is significant not only scientifically, but also provides theoretical basis and gene resources for apple tree disease resistance breeding.