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Regulation of excessive inflammation and impaired cell proliferation is crucial for healing diabetic wounds. Although plant‐to‐mammalian regulation offers effective approaches for chronic wound management, the development of a potent plant‐based therapeutic presents challenges. This study aims to validate the efficacy of turmeric‐derived nanoparticles (TDNPs) loaded with natural bioactive compounds. TDNPs can alleviate oxidative stress, promote fibroblast proliferation and migration, and reprogram macrophage polarization. Restoration of the fibroblast–macrophage communication network by TDNPs stimulates cellular regeneration, in turn enhancing diabetic wound healing. To address diabetic wound management, TDNPs are loaded in an ultralight‐weight, high swelling ratio, breathable aerogel (AG) constructed with cellulose nanofibers and sodium alginate backbones to obtain TDNPs@AG (TAG). TAG features wound shape‐customized accessibility, water‐adaptable tissue adhesiveness, and capacity for sustained release of TDNPs, exhibiting outstanding performance in facilitating in vivo diabetic wound healing. This study highlights the potential of TDNPs in regenerative medicine and their applicability as a promising solution for wound healing in clinical settings. TDNPs@AG (TAG), an aerogel dressing containing turmeric‐derived nanoparticles (TDNPs), enhances diabetic wound healing by continued controlled release of TDNPs, which reduce inflammation and oxidative stress. Owing to their bioregulatory properties, water–air balance, easy preparation, and storage capacity, TAG holds promise for tissue regeneration.

Botrytis cinerea Pers. Fr. (teleomorph: Botryotinia fuckeliana) is a necrotrophic fungal pathogen that attacks a wide range of plants. This updated pathogen profile explores the extensive genetic diversity of B. cinerea, highlights the progress in genome sequencing, and provides current knowledge of genetic and molecular mechanisms employed by the fungus to attack its hosts. In addition, we also discuss recent innovative strategies to combat B. cinerea. Taxonomy Kingdom: Fungi, phylum: Ascomycota, subphylum: Pezizomycotina, class: Leotiomycetes, order: Helotiales, family: Sclerotiniaceae, genus: Botrytis, species: cinerea. Host range B. cinerea infects almost all of the plant groups (angiosperms, gymnosperms, pteridophytes, and bryophytes). To date, 1606 plant species have been identified as hosts of B. cinerea. Genetic diversity This polyphagous necrotroph has extensive genetic diversity at all population levels shaped by climate, geography, and plant host variation. Pathogenicity Genetic architecture of virulence and host specificity is polygenic using multiple weapons to target hosts, including secretory proteins, complex signal transduction pathways, metabolites, and mobile small RNA. Disease control strategies Efforts to control B. cinerea, being a high‐diversity generalist pathogen, are complicated. However, integrated disease management strategies that combine cultural practices, chemical and biological controls, and the use of appropriate crop varieties will lessen yield losses. Recently, studies conducted worldwide have explored the potential of small RNA as an efficient and environmentally friendly approach for combating grey mould. However, additional research is necessary, especially on risk assessment and regulatory frameworks, to fully harness the potential of this technology. Botrytis cinerea is a generalist fungal phytopathogen with high genetic diversity that utilizes diverse signalling cascades to infect a wide range of hosts.

Plants' response to pathogens is highly complex and involves changes at different levels, such as activation or repression of a vast array of genes. Recently, many studies have demonstrated that many RNAs, especially small RNAs (sRNAs), are involved in genetic expression and reprogramming affecting plant–pathogen interactions. The sRNAs, including short interfering RNAs and microRNAs, are noncoding RNA with 18–30 nucleotides, and are recognized as key genetic and epigenetic regulators. In this review, we summarize the new findings about defence‐related sRNAs in the response to pathogens and our current understanding of their effects on plant–pathogen interactions. The main content of this review article includes the roles of sRNAs in plant–pathogen interactions, cross‐kingdom sRNA trafficking between host and pathogen, and the application of RNA‐based fungicides for plant disease control. This review summarizes the effects of small RNAs (sRNAs) on plant–pathogen interactions and the recent discoveries of cross‐kingdom sRNA trafficking, and discusses the possibility of using RNA‐based fungicides for plant protection.

The establishment of host–microbe interactions requires molecular communication between both partners, which may involve the mutual transfer of noncoding small RNAs. Previous evidence suggests that this is also true for powdery mildew disease in barley, which is caused by the fungal pathogen Blumeria hordei. However, previous studies lacked spatial resolution regarding the accumulation of small RNAs upon host infection by B. hordei. Here, we analysed site‐specific small RNA repertoires in the context of the barley–B. hordei interaction. To this end, we dissected infected leaves into separate fractions representing different sites that are key to the pathogenic process: epiphytic fungal mycelium, infected plant epidermis, isolated haustoria, a vesicle‐enriched fraction from infected epidermis, and extracellular vesicles. Unexpectedly, we discovered enrichment of specific 31–33‐base 5′‐terminal fragments of barley 5.8S ribosomal RNA in extracellular vesicles and infected epidermis, as well as particular B. hordei transfer RNA fragments in haustoria. We describe canonical small RNAs from both the plant host and the fungal pathogen that may confer cross‐kingdom RNA interference activity. Interestingly, we found first evidence of phased small interfering RNAs in B. hordei, a feature usually attributed to plants, which may be associated with the posttranscriptional control of fungal coding genes, pseudogenes, and transposable elements. Our data suggest a key and possibly site‐specific role for cross‐kingdom RNA interference and noncoding RNA fragments in the host–pathogen communication between B. hordei and its host barley. In barley powdery mildew, the host and the fungal pathogen deliver short noncoding RNAs to each other: microRNAs, 5.8S ribosomal RNA‐derived small RNAs, and transposon‐derived phased small interfering RNAs.

It is known that extracellular vesicles (EVs) are shed from cells of almost every type of cell or organism, showing their ubiquity in all empires of life. EVs are defined as naturally released particles from cells, delimited by a lipid bilayer, and cannot replicate. These nano- to micrometer scaled spheres shuttle a set of bioactive molecules. EVs are of great interest as vehicles for drug targeting and in fundamental biological research, but in vitro culture of animal cells usually achieves only small yields. The exploration of other biological kingdoms promises comprehensive knowledge on EVs broadening the opportunities for basic understanding and therapeutic use. Thus, plants might be sustainable biofactories producing nontoxic and highly specific nanovectors, whereas bacterial and fungal EVs are promising vaccines for the prevention of infectious diseases. Importantly, EVs from different eukaryotic and prokaryotic kingdoms are involved in many processes including host-pathogen interactions, spreading of resistances, and plant diseases. More extensive knowledge of inter-species and interkingdom regulation could provide advantages for preventing and treating pests and pathogens. In this review, we present a comprehensive overview of EVs derived from eukaryota and prokaryota and we discuss how better understanding of their intercommunication role provides opportunities for both fundamental and applied biology.

FCT: UID/Multi/04326/2019; UIDB/04326/2020; CCMAR/ID/16/2018; CEECINST/00114/2018. German Research Foundation (DFG) CRC1127; European Union (EU) 642575; ASSEMBLE 227799; COST Action 'Phycomorph' FA1406.

Fungi and nematodes are among the most abundant organisms in soil habitats. They provide essential ecosystem services and play crucial roles for maintaining the stability of food-webs and for facilitating nutrient cycling. As two of the very abundant groups of organisms, fungi and nematodes interact with each other in multiple ways. Here in this review, we provide a broad framework of interactions between fungi and nematodes with an emphasis on those that impact crops and agriculture ecosystems. We describe the diversity and evolution of fungi that closely interact with nematodes, including food fungi for nematodes as well as fungi that feed on nematodes. Among the nematophagous fungi, those that produce specialized nematode-trapping devices are especially interesting, and a great deal is known about their diversity, evolution, and molecular mechanisms of interactions with nematodes. Some of the fungi and nematodes are significant pathogens and pests to crops. We summarize the ecological and molecular mechanisms identified so far that impact, either directly or indirectly, the interactions among phytopathogenic fungi, phytopathogenic nematodes, and crop plants. The potential applications of our understanding to controlling phytophagous nematodes and soilborne fungal pathogens in agricultural fields are discussed.

Edible plant-derived exosome-like nanoparticles (EPDELNs) are novel naturally occurring plant ultrastructures that are structurally similar to exosomes. Many EPDELNs have anti-inflammatory properties. MicroRNAs (miRNAs) play a critical role in mediating physiological and pathological processes in animals and plants. Although miRNAs can be selectively encapsulated in extracellular vesicles, little is known about their expression and function in EPDELNs. In this study, we isolated nanovesicles from 11 edible fruits and vegetables and subjected the corresponding EPDELN small RNA libraries to Illumina sequencing. We identified a total of 418 miRNAs—32 to 127 per species—from the 11 EPDELN samples. Target prediction and functional analyses revealed that highly expressed miRNAs were closely associated with the inflammatory response and cancer-related pathways. The 418 miRNAs could be divided into three classes according to their EPDELN distributions: 26 “frequent” miRNAs (FMs), 39 “moderately present” miRNAs (MPMs), and 353 “rare” miRNAs (RMs). FMs were represented by fewer miRNA species than RMs but had a significantly higher cumulative expression level. Taken together, our in vitro results indicate that miRNAs in EPDELNs have the potential to regulate human mRNA.

Plants communicate with their interacting microorganisms through the exchange of functional molecules. This communication is critical for plant immunity, for pathogen virulence, and for establishing and maintaining symbioses. Extracellular vesicles (EVs) are lipid bilayer‐enclosed spheres that are released by both the host and the microbe into the extracellular environment. Emerging evidence has shown that EVs play a prominent role in plant–microbe interactions by safely transporting functional molecules, such as proteins and RNAs to interacting organisms. Recent studies revealed that plant EVs deliver fungal gene‐targeting small RNAs into fungal pathogens to suppress infection via cross‐kingdom RNA interference (RNAi). In this review, we focus on the recent advances in our understanding of plant EVs and their role in plant–microbe interactions.