Immune surveillance at plasmodesmata restricts the movement of a fungal effector

Plasmodesmal-targeting effector ChEC108 from Colletotrichum higginsianum is restricted by host HIPP6, with loss of either increasing fungal infection risk.

• Why it matters: Understanding how fungal effectors exploit plasmodesmata and how hosts defend these channels is crucial for developing strategies against plant pathogens.
• What they did: The study identified ChEC108 as a mobile effector that binds HIPP6 via a tetrahedral metal ion coordination site, inducing plasmodesmal closure and impairing its own mobility, with gene loss increasing infection.
• The result: Findings suggest HIPP6 detects fungal invasion and triggers defense responses, highlighting a host mechanism that limits effector movement and infection success.