Communication with plants

During plant-fungal interaction a wide range of molecules play crucial roles in signaling, development and stress response. Understand the fungal and plant cross-talk allows to define the typology of interaction or rather the lifestyle. According to this we can distinguish in biotrophs, necrotrophs or hemibiotrophs fungi. In any case, during the interaction the perception of signals activates signal transduction processes that induce changes in metabolism, cell organization and gene expression, here we review the concept of chemotropism, the ability to sense and grow towards a chemical gradient. When the host recognizes a pathogenic fungus, it can active the defense responses. However the pathogen can bypass them, by expressing or secreting molecules effectors that can modulate the plant immune system to their own advantage. Among the signals that the pathogenic fungus can produce, lipids represent a class of particular interest. In the article are reported several examples of lipids involved in the communication, in particular fatty acids, oxylipins (oxidized fatty acids) and sphingolipids. In addition, during fungus-host interaction, the fungus can influence its virulence by activating the production of mycotoxins, secondary metabolites that can influence the outcome of interaction. Our aim in this review is to describe the state of art of host-pathogen interaction, to better understand the communication during plant-fungus interaction, for that purpose some signal molecules will be brought to light involved in interactions.