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Analysis of key cyclic-di-GMP signalling systems that control wheat rhizosphere colonisation by Pseudomonas fluorescens

Reference	BBS/E/J/000C0655
Principal Investigator / Supervisor	Dr Jacob Malone
Co-Investigators / Co-Supervisors
Institution	John Innes Centre
Department	John Innes Centre Department
Funding type	Research
Value (£)	478,601
Status	Completed
Type	Institute Project
Start date	01/06/2011
End date	31/03/2017
Duration	69 months

Abstract

Biocontrol agents, soil microorganisms that suppress pathogens and/or promote plant growth, represent an attractive potential alternative to chemical pesticides. Pseudomonas fluorescens functions as an effective biocontrol agent, positively affecting plant health and nutrition and exhibiting antimicrobial capabilities via the production of diverse antibiotics and through direct competition with pathogens in the rhizosphere. The effectiveness of biocontrol is directly related to the effectiveness of bacterial rhizosphere colonisation. However, the intracellular signalling pathways that control rhizosphere colonisation and communication between Pseudomonas, its plant host, and the surrounding soil microbiota are currently poorly defined. Recent work has identified a key role for cyclic-di-GMP (cdG) signalling in the control of rhizosphere colonisation by P. fluorescens. CdG is a ubiquitous bacterial second messenger that controls processes involved in the switch between sessile, communal and motile, single-celled lifestyles. In-vitro expression technology (IVET) has identified 146 genes in the model P. fluorescens strain SBW25 that are up-regulated in the rhizosphere and phyllosphere. Our analysis of the IVET data suggests that at least seven cdG systems are specifically up-regulated in the SBW25 plant environment. In this project, we aim to functionally characterise those cdG signalling proteins that contribute to SBW25 wheat rhizosphere colonisation using a combination of genetics, molecular microbiology, cell biology and biochemical approaches. We will determine the effects of these cdG systems on global gene expression during colonisation with soil microarrays, and identify the cdG output systems that function during rhizosphere colonisation. Finally, we will analyse the interactions between different cdG-related systems, and how they coordinate their activities to effect an integrated colonisation response.

Summary

unavailable

Committee	Not funded via Committee
Research Topics	Crop Science, Microbiology, Plant Science, Soil Science
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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