INTA researchers identify a mechanism to activate the plant defense system

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A team of researchers from INTA (National Institute of Agricultural Technology) has described a mechanism that explains how plants activate and spread their defenses against pathogens. This research will help strengthen crop resistance. The study was recently published in the journal Plant Communications.

Although they lack specialized immune system cells and do not produce antibodies like animals, plants possess sophisticated defense mechanisms against pathogens. A research team from the Agricultural Studies Unit, based at INTA-CIAP, identified systemic resistance, a process by which, after detecting a pathogen, the plant organism not only responds locally but also sends signals to the rest of its tissues that have not yet been infected. The work was recently published in the scientific journal Plant Communications and provides new insights into the molecular mechanisms involved in these responses.

According to Damián Cambiagno, the lead researcher on the project, this phenomenon is closely linked to what is known as plant immune memory, which is the ability of plants to “remember” previous encounters with pathogens and respond more quickly and efficiently to new infections. “Understanding how these processes are generated and regulated is key both from a scientific perspective and for the development of tools applied in agriculture,” he stated.

The research was developed entirely in Argentina and focused on the study of cellular signals that coordinate defense at the level of the entire organism.

One of the study’s key findings is the role of microRNAs (miRNAs). In this regard, Cambiagno explained that “these are small RNA molecules that regulate gene expression. These molecules, in addition to acting in the cells where they originate, can move between cells, functioning as messengers that synchronize long-range defensive responses.”

The study identifies the HASTY (HST) protein as a key component in the process. According to the results, HASTY participates in an early stage of the formation of certain miRNAs, known as co-transcriptional processing. “This step is crucial for miRNAs to acquire the ability to move between cells,” the researcher stated.

The study, led by Cambiagno and with Manuel Musso as the first author, also included the participation of students Nahir Alanie and Luciano Quevedo and the collaboration of Alejandra Trenchi, Nicolás M. Cecchini and Hernán Ramiro Lascano.

The results provide concrete evidence on how some of the signals responsible for immune memory in plants are generated and propagated, adding a relevant piece to the knowledge in this field.

Researchers observed that in plants with HASTY mutations, miRNAs lose their ability to move, compromising the activation of systemic defenses. In contrast, when the movement of these molecules is restored, the overall defensive response is recovered.

Currently, biotechnological tools—such as bioinoculants—exist that aim to induce or enhance these natural defense mechanisms. In this regard, a deeper understanding of the molecular processes involved could contribute to optimizing these strategies and improving crop health and productivity.

Citation
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The study HASTY-dependent miRNA cell-to-cell movement is required for systemic pathogen resistance in Arabidopsis was published in INTA’s repository
The study HASTY-dependent miRNA cell-to-cell movement is required for systemic pathogen resistance in Arabidopsis was published in the Plant Communications journal. (April 2026). Authors: Musso, Manuel; Alanie, Nahir; Quevedo, Luciano; Trenchi, Alejandra; Cecchini, Nicolás Miguel; Lascano, Hernán Ramiro; Cambiagno, Damián Alejandro

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