The pathogen Moniliophthora perniciosa promotes differential proteomic modulation of cacao genotypes with contrasting resistance to witches' broom disease

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Conflicts of Interest

Identified Weaknesses

Rating Explanation

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Paper Summary

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Resistant Cacao Genotype Flexes Its Protein Muscles Against Witches' Broom Disease

This study compared proteomic changes in resistant (TSH1188) and susceptible (Catongo) cacao genotypes infected with *Moniliophthora perniciosa*, the causal agent of witches' broom disease. The resistant genotype displayed a more diverse and upregulated set of proteins related to oxidative stress, defense, and carbohydrate metabolism, suggesting a stronger and faster response to infection compared to the susceptible genotype.

Possible Conflicts of Interest

None identified

Identified Weaknesses

Limited Genotypes

The study focuses on only two cacao genotypes, which limits the generalizability of the findings to a broader range of cacao varieties. Different cacao genotypes may exhibit varying levels of resistance and susceptibility to WBD, and their proteomic responses to infection may differ accordingly.

Single Pathogen Isolate

The authors use a single isolate of *M. perniciosa*, Mp4145, for inoculation. The pathogen exhibits variability in virulence, and different isolates might induce distinct proteomic changes in cacao genotypes. The study's findings may not apply to all strains of the pathogen.

Lack of Transcriptomic Data

The authors acknowledge a weak correlation between proteomic and transcriptomic studies. However, they do not perform a transcriptomic analysis in parallel with their proteomic investigation. This limits their ability to fully explore the relationship between gene expression and protein abundance in response to infection and identify potential post-transcriptional regulatory mechanisms.

Limited Time Points

The study investigates only two time points, 72 h and 45 days post-inoculation. These time points represent specific stages of the interaction, but a more detailed time-course analysis could provide a deeper understanding of the dynamic changes in protein expression and their role in resistance mechanisms.

Homology-Based PPI Prediction

The predicted protein-protein interaction (PPI) networks are based on orthologous proteins in *Arabidopsis thaliana*. While this approach can provide insights, there may be differences in the specific interactions between proteins in cacao and *Arabidopsis*. This could affect the accuracy of the predicted networks.

Rating Explanation

This study makes a valuable contribution to the understanding of the molecular mechanisms underlying cacao resistance to WBD. The proteomic analysis provides insights into the complex interplay of proteins involved in defense and stress responses, and identifies potential resistance markers. The study is well-designed and executed, with appropriate statistical analyses. However, it has some limitations, such as the use of only two cacao genotypes and a single pathogen isolate, which reduces the generalizability of the findings. Furthermore, there is a lack of transcriptomic data to fully interpret the proteomic changes. Despite the limitations, this study is well-executed, and with its novelty, it warrants a rating of 4.

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Topic Hierarchy

Domain:

Life Sciences

Field:

Agricultural and Biological Sciences

Subfield:

Horticulture

File Information

Original Title:

The pathogen *Moniliophthora perniciosa* promotes differential proteomic modulation of cacao genotypes with contrasting resistance to witches' broom disease

File Name:

s12870-019-2170-7.pdf

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File Size:

5.15 MB

Uploaded:

July 14, 2025 at 11:28 AM

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