Fig. 1: Overview of strategy to improve disease resistance using epigenetic modification.
From: Improving cassava bacterial blight resistance by editing the epigenome
A Left: Example of CBB-infected cassava in a field (Uganda, 2019). Right: selected region from leaf on the left. Water-soaked regions are indicated with white arrows. B Graphical representation of epigenetic CBB disease resistance strategy. Top: In WT plants, TAL20 from Xam binds a specific sequence (EBE) present in the promoter of the S gene MeSWEET10a. Upon binding, TAL20 induces the ectopic expression of MeSWEET10a, a sugar transporter, which is required for establishment of disease. A typical ‘water-soaked’ lesion is shown to the right, an early indicator of CBB. Bottom: DNA methylation prevents TAL20 from binding the EBE. MeSWEET10a expression is not induced, and disease symptoms are reduced. Source data are provided as a Source Data file.
