cff-version: 1.2.0
abstract: "<p>Host
entry requires plant pathogens to breach the protective surface of the plant.
<i>Phytophthora </i>species, classified as oomycetes, are among the most
destructive filamentous plant pathogens worldwide and pose a substantial threat
to food security.
Little is known about the biomechanics of host invasion in oomycetes, yet this
understanding is crucial to combat these pathogens more effectively. Here we unveil
how <i>Phytophthora</i> spp. invade elastic surfaces by pressure application at
an oblique angle without appressorium formation. This ‘slicing’ action, coined the
<i>naifu</i>-mechanism, facilitates crack
initiation by concentrating stresses towards the surface enabling host entry through the crack void. This contrasts the ‘brute’ force
approach found in fungal filamentous plant pathogens capable of producing a
melanized appressorium that generates tremendous turgor pressures. Measurements of surface deformations during invasion reveal an asymmetric
geometry of decoupled adherence and indentation sites that is quantitatively
described with a mathematical model. Moreover, we establish how polarized
growth, surface adherence and turgor generation are each essential to
accomplish host entry by this approach. The naifu-mechanism enables <i>Phytophthora </i>pathogens to penetrate their hosts without necessitating specialized
pressure organs and vast turgor pressures. <b></b></p>"
authors:
  - family-names: Bronkhorst
    given-names: Jochem
    orcid: "https://orcid.org/0000-0002-8179-1099"
  - family-names: Sprakel
    given-names: Joris
    orcid: "https://orcid.org/0000-0001-6532-4514"
title: "Data underlying the publication: Phytophthora pathogens exploit slicing action for host invasion"
keywords:
version: 2
identifiers:
  - type: doi
    value: 10.4121/14115461.v2
license: CC BY 4.0
date-released: 2021-03-22