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Microorganisms
Special Issues
State-of-the-Art Plant Microbe Interactions in Japan
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State-of-the-Art Plant Microbe Interactions in Japan

A special issue of Microorganisms (ISSN 2076-2607). This special issue belongs to the section "Plant Microbe Interactions".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: 31 August 2026 | Viewed by 555

Special Issue Editors

Dr. Yasuhiro Ishiga

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
Institute of Life and Environmental Sciences, University of Tsukuba, 1-1-1 Tennodai, Tsukuba 305-8572, Ibaraki, Japan
Interests: bacterial pathogens; Pseudomonas; disease control strategies; sustainable plant protection; plant immunity mechanisms; virulence factors; plant defense activators; stomatal-based defense
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals
Dr. Nanami Sakata

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor Assistant
Faculty of Agriculture, Okayama University, 1-1-1 Tsushima-naka, Kita-ku, Okayama 700-8530, Japan
Interests: bacterial pathogens; Pseudomonas; Xanthomonas; disease control strategies; sustainable plant protection; virulence factors; plant defense activators; stomatal-based defense

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

This Special Issue aims to offer a comprehensive overview of the latest advancements in plant–microbe interactions within Japan. We warmly invite Japanese scholars from related fields to submit papers that highlight recent developments in this area. Contributions may include original research articles and comprehensive reviews. We also encourage the invitation of relevant experts and colleagues to contribute, ensuring a diverse and cutting-edge collection of work. This Special Issue aims to showcase the innovative research being conducted in Japan and to provide a platform for further advancements in the field of Plant Microbe Interactions.

Dr. Yasuhiro Ishiga
Guest Editor

Dr. Nanami Sakata
Guest Editor Assistant

Manuscript Submission Information

Manuscripts should be submitted online at www.mdpi.com by registering and logging in to this website. Once you are registered, click here to go to the submission form. Manuscripts can be submitted until the deadline. All submissions that pass pre-check are peer-reviewed. Accepted papers will be published continuously in the journal (as soon as accepted) and will be listed together on the special issue website. Research articles, review articles as well as short communications are invited. For planned papers, a title and short abstract (about 250 words) can be sent to the Editorial Office for assessment.

Submitted manuscripts should not have been published previously, nor be under consideration for publication elsewhere (except conference proceedings papers). All manuscripts are thoroughly refereed through a single-blind peer-review process. A guide for authors and other relevant information for submission of manuscripts is available on the Instructions for Authors page. Microorganisms is an international peer-reviewed open access monthly journal published by MDPI.

Please visit the Instructions for Authors page before submitting a manuscript. The Article Processing Charge (APC) for publication in this open access journal is 2700 CHF (Swiss Francs). Submitted papers should be well formatted and use good English. Authors may use MDPI's English editing service prior to publication or during author revisions.

Keywords

  • disease protection
  • endophytes
  • endosymbiosis
  • epiphytes
  • lichens
  • mycorrhizae
  • nitrogen fixation
  • pathogens
  • pathogenesis
  • phosphate solubilization
  • rhizobacteria
  • rhizophagy cycle
  • stress tolerance
  • symbiosis

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Further information on MDPI's Special Issue policies can be found here.

Published Papers (1 paper)

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Research

17 pages, 2355 KB  
Article
A Genome-Wide Mutant Screen Identifies XopN and XopX as Core Type III Effectors Required for Peach Infection by Xanthomonas arboricola pv. pruni
by Nanami Sakata and Yasuhiro Ishiga
Microorganisms 2026, 14(2), 335; https://doi.org/10.3390/microorganisms14020335 - 2 Feb 2026
Viewed by 412
Abstract
Xanthomonas arboricola pv. pruni causes bacterial spot in peaches, a major disease affecting global Prunus production. Despite its economic significance, the virulence mechanisms that enable X. arboricola pv. pruni to colonize peach tissues and induce characteristic necrotic symptoms remain poorly understood. To identify [...] Read more.
Xanthomonas arboricola pv. pruni causes bacterial spot in peaches, a major disease affecting global Prunus production. Despite its economic significance, the virulence mechanisms that enable X. arboricola pv. pruni to colonize peach tissues and induce characteristic necrotic symptoms remain poorly understood. To identify key virulence determinants, a robust and reliable detached-leaf inoculation system was developed, and a genome-wide forward genetic screen of 2400 Tn5 mutants was conducted. A total of 34 mutants with consistently reduced virulence were identified, representing diverse functional categories including secretion systems, nutrient acquisition, primary metabolism, and regulatory pathways. The most prominent findings were the repeated identification of independent mutants in two type III effector genes, xopN and xopX, highlighting these effectors as central and nonredundant contributors to symptom induction. Mutants in the type III secretion system translocon-associated gene hrpF also showed virulence defects. Additional mutants affecting phosphate uptake (pstS), ammonium transport, and vitamin B6 biosynthesis (pdxA, serC) revealed metabolic requirements essential for in planta fitness. Notably, several mutants reached bacterial population levels comparable to the wild-type isolate but produced little or no symptoms, indicating that bacterial multiplication and symptom development are not necessarily linked. This study provides the first comprehensive genome-wide functional screen of X. arboricola pv. pruni virulence and establishes a framework for dissecting infection mechanisms. The essential factors identified here, particularly XopN, XopX, and key metabolic pathways, represent promising targets for future anti-virulence strategies to manage bacterial spot disease. Characterizing the specific functions of each virulence factor identified in this study will be an important focus of future work. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue State-of-the-Art Plant Microbe Interactions in Japan)
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