Comparative transcriptomics reveals conserved infection-associated gene expression in Phytophthora agathidicida across its natural gymnosperm host kauri and the model angiosperm host Nicotiana benthamiana.
Findings suggest that P. agathidicida deploys a largely conserved molecular strategy to colonise gymnosperm and angiosperm hosts, supporting the use of N. benthamiana as a model system for functional studies, while also highlighting pathogen genes that are highly expressed and upregulated in each of the hosts.