Deciphering the sugar code

(University of M ü nster) Like animals and humans, plants possess a kind of immune system. It can e.g. recognize pathogenic fungi by the chitin in their cell walls, triggering disease resistance. Some fungi hide from the immune system by modifying some of the chitin building blocks, converting chitin into chitosan. Researchers of the University of M ü nster now found that plants can react to a certain pattern in this chitosan, stimulating their immune system.

Source: EurekAlert! - Biology - January 24, 2020 Category: Biology Source Type: news