Award details

401a: Signalling in plant defence and viral counter-defence

Reference	BBS/E/H/00032637
Principal Investigator / Supervisor	Professor Yiguo Hong
Co-Investigators / Co-Supervisors
Institution	University of Warwick
Department	Warwick HRI
Funding type	Research
Value (£)	704,800
Status	Completed
Type	Institute Project
Start date	01/04/2003
End date	31/03/2005
Duration	24 months

Abstract

Plants have evolved pathogen-inducible resistance mechanisms against infection, including posttranscriptional gene silencing (PTGS) and the hypersensitive response (HR). In order to withstand these defence responses, pathogens often encode defence-suppressing proteins, for example PTGS suppressors.PTGS is a sequence specific RNA degradation mechanism that operates in plants, animals and fungi. In plants, PTGS protects the host against virus infection and down-regulates host gene expression. PTGS is non cell- autonomous, which implies the existence of mobile silencing or a silencing-inducing signal, as a component of the RNA silencing pathway. The mechanisms of spread of the PTGS signal, in particular its systemic spread, have not been characterised.The HR is also an inducible plant defense mechanism that is elicited by pathogen-specific avirulence determinants. Surprisingly, to date, no plant viruses have been found to deploy an active strategy to counter the HR- defense.To further study PTGS, as well as PTGS and HR suppression, we propose in this joint project to investigate the molecular and cellular events in the signalling processes of plant defence and virus counter-defence using model plants and horticultural crop-infecting viruses. This project is highly relevant to the research areas Pathogenesis and Communication and Signalling in the Integrative Biology theme, and to Understanding Diseases in the BBSRC Strategic Plan 2003-2008. A successful programme will contribute to the understanding of fundamental principles of plant-pathogen interactions. This area also fits HRIs overall high-level Strategic Objective to advance plant and microbal science of relevance to horticultural crops. Dissection of plant defence and pathogen counter-defence mechanisms will help to develop novel strategies to control disease in plants including horticultural crops.

Summary

unavailable

Committee	Closed Committee - Plant & Microbial Sciences (PMS)
Research Topics	X – not assigned to a current Research Topic
Research Priority	X – Research Priority information not available
Research Initiative	X - not in an Initiative
Funding Scheme	X – not Funded via a specific Funding Scheme

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