Harnessing spatial transcriptomics to understand host-parasite interactions in plants and animals

Abstract

Obligate parasites pose a significant threat to animal, human, and plant health by affecting host gene expression through mechanisms that are poorly understood. Spatial transcriptomic technologies are revolutionizing our understanding of animal-parasite interactions, revealing tissue reorganization, cellular responses, and infection dynamics at a microscopic scale. These technologies also accelerate the identification of potential targets for treating animal parasite infections. Despite their potential, the application of spatial transcriptomic technologies to plant-parasite interactions is limited. This review highlights key challenges in applying spatial transcriptomics to plants. By drawing parallels with advances in animal systems, we discuss how spatial transcriptomics could contribute to localize and identify effectors, uncover the molecular mechanisms of plant-parasite infections, and find novel disease control targets. This cross-disciplinary perspective provides a roadmap for future research in plant and animal parasitology.