Understanding the mechanism of chloroplast immunity.
Lead Research Organisation:
University of Warwick
Department Name: Biological Sciences
Abstract
One of the "big challenges" for our next generation is to ensure global food security. This can be achieved through a combination of increasing productivity and selecting for plants which respond robustly to changing environmental conditions. Increasing productivity is challenging without bespoke local breeding solutions and this is reflected in the ever decreasing average annual crop yields achieved through conventional breeding. Crop losses due to biotic stress contribute disproportionately to yield losses, often around one quarter but in extreme cases in excess of three quarters of a crop. Thus developing novel approaches to restricting pathogen infections of crops and consequently yields must be a primary objective if we are to realistically ensure we can feed the estimated 9 billion people by 2050.
We have recently shown that the chloroplast is a key battlefield in determining the eventual outcome of plant-microbe interactions. Aside from its ability to fix carbon, chloroplasts play a central role in integrating multiple environmental stimuli and sensing the metabolic status of the plant. As a principal source of reactive oxygen species, the site of a significant amount of primary carbon metabolism and synthesis of the majority of hormone metabolic precursors, the chloroplast represents a prime target for pathogen manipulation.
Our pioneering work has shown that the chloroplast responds to recognition of conserved pathogen motifs (non-self) by generating a burst of reactive oxygen species (ROS) that we believe act as a defensive signal. It is not surprising therefore that successful pathogens deliver proteins and small molecules known as effectors - to intervene in this process. Our data indicate that pathogens, both bacterial and fungal, achieve this by reconfiguring expression of nuclear encoded plant genes and some effectors actually even enter the chloroplast. These effectors stop the ROS burst by suppressing photosynthesis - arguably one of the most important reactions on this planet - but we don't know how. What we do know is that effectors increase the production of a hormone called abscisic acid (ABA), and stopping ABA production makes the plant more resistant. Conversely, adding ABA stops the chloroplast ROS burst, enabling pathogen growth.
Here our primary objective is to understand how recognition of non-self activates chloroplast immunity and how pathogen effector proteins have evolved to suppress this immunity. One major objective is to undertake detailed studies of the biophysical changes in the chloroplast during treatments that cause disease or induce defence. We will look at the changes in proteins within chloroplasts during these treatments and changes in the small molecules as well. Merging these data we will predict proteins that contribute to these processes. To access their role in defence we will change their abundance and looking at how those plants behave to pathogens. We will also work out how many effectors, and the functional nature of those effectors, enter the chloroplast.
A second major strand of work is to visualise the dynamics of ROS production in the chloroplast and the nucleus during the transition from healthy to diseased plants. We are also interested in how organelles within the cell behave during disease and defence promoting challenges. To visualise this we have labelled different organelles in the cell with fluorescent markers and we will use these to monitor their behaviours during the infection process.
As chloroplast immunity appears conserved, our longer term goal is to use the knowledge gained from these studies in novel re-engineering or intervention strategies that will provide plants with broad spectrum resistance against pathogens.
We have recently shown that the chloroplast is a key battlefield in determining the eventual outcome of plant-microbe interactions. Aside from its ability to fix carbon, chloroplasts play a central role in integrating multiple environmental stimuli and sensing the metabolic status of the plant. As a principal source of reactive oxygen species, the site of a significant amount of primary carbon metabolism and synthesis of the majority of hormone metabolic precursors, the chloroplast represents a prime target for pathogen manipulation.
Our pioneering work has shown that the chloroplast responds to recognition of conserved pathogen motifs (non-self) by generating a burst of reactive oxygen species (ROS) that we believe act as a defensive signal. It is not surprising therefore that successful pathogens deliver proteins and small molecules known as effectors - to intervene in this process. Our data indicate that pathogens, both bacterial and fungal, achieve this by reconfiguring expression of nuclear encoded plant genes and some effectors actually even enter the chloroplast. These effectors stop the ROS burst by suppressing photosynthesis - arguably one of the most important reactions on this planet - but we don't know how. What we do know is that effectors increase the production of a hormone called abscisic acid (ABA), and stopping ABA production makes the plant more resistant. Conversely, adding ABA stops the chloroplast ROS burst, enabling pathogen growth.
Here our primary objective is to understand how recognition of non-self activates chloroplast immunity and how pathogen effector proteins have evolved to suppress this immunity. One major objective is to undertake detailed studies of the biophysical changes in the chloroplast during treatments that cause disease or induce defence. We will look at the changes in proteins within chloroplasts during these treatments and changes in the small molecules as well. Merging these data we will predict proteins that contribute to these processes. To access their role in defence we will change their abundance and looking at how those plants behave to pathogens. We will also work out how many effectors, and the functional nature of those effectors, enter the chloroplast.
A second major strand of work is to visualise the dynamics of ROS production in the chloroplast and the nucleus during the transition from healthy to diseased plants. We are also interested in how organelles within the cell behave during disease and defence promoting challenges. To visualise this we have labelled different organelles in the cell with fluorescent markers and we will use these to monitor their behaviours during the infection process.
As chloroplast immunity appears conserved, our longer term goal is to use the knowledge gained from these studies in novel re-engineering or intervention strategies that will provide plants with broad spectrum resistance against pathogens.
Technical Summary
This multidisciplinary proposal uses proteomics, cell biology, mass spectrometry, biophysical and genetic approaches to address the mechanistic basis of chloroplast mediated immunity. In Postdam, using state-of-the-art techniques, we measure the biophysical changes in the chloroplast during MTI and suppression of MTI and will include both PRR mutants and pharmacological challenge.
Secondly, we will undertake an untargeted proteomics screen on chloroplasts isolated from the same challenges and sampling times as used in Postdam, using Progenesis label free quantitation. Both these work programmes will be complemented by comparative analysis of the chloroplast metabolome by GC-QToF during virulent and non-pathogenic bacterial challenges. These biophysical, proteomic and metabolomics data will be interrogated collectively and targets selected for reverse genetic screens.
To accurately quantify the number of DC3000 effectors that target the chloroplast we will generate transplastomic tomato plants expressing the C-terminus of a self-assembling GFP construct in the chloroplast. Chloroplast localization will be tested using Pseudomonas derived effectors expressing the N-terminal self-assembling GFP. In addition targeted proteomics approach will be undertaken using selected, chloroplast localised effectors, HopO1-2.
The third major component examines the dynamics of ROS production and inter-organelle communication using transgenic Arabidopsis lines expressing (i) the novel genetically encoded marker roGFP2-Orp1 targeted to report changes in chloroplast and nuclear H2O2 and (ii) marked lines carrying GFP, NEON and YFP targeted to the perixosome, nucleus and chloroplast respectively. These studies will provide the first comprehensive insight into the temporal spatial dynamics of intracellular ROS generation and inter-organellar dynamics during MTI and suppression of MTI.
Secondly, we will undertake an untargeted proteomics screen on chloroplasts isolated from the same challenges and sampling times as used in Postdam, using Progenesis label free quantitation. Both these work programmes will be complemented by comparative analysis of the chloroplast metabolome by GC-QToF during virulent and non-pathogenic bacterial challenges. These biophysical, proteomic and metabolomics data will be interrogated collectively and targets selected for reverse genetic screens.
To accurately quantify the number of DC3000 effectors that target the chloroplast we will generate transplastomic tomato plants expressing the C-terminus of a self-assembling GFP construct in the chloroplast. Chloroplast localization will be tested using Pseudomonas derived effectors expressing the N-terminal self-assembling GFP. In addition targeted proteomics approach will be undertaken using selected, chloroplast localised effectors, HopO1-2.
The third major component examines the dynamics of ROS production and inter-organelle communication using transgenic Arabidopsis lines expressing (i) the novel genetically encoded marker roGFP2-Orp1 targeted to report changes in chloroplast and nuclear H2O2 and (ii) marked lines carrying GFP, NEON and YFP targeted to the perixosome, nucleus and chloroplast respectively. These studies will provide the first comprehensive insight into the temporal spatial dynamics of intracellular ROS generation and inter-organellar dynamics during MTI and suppression of MTI.
Planned Impact
Who might benefit from this research?
The research has broad economic, social impact and industrial impact in two areas;
(a) gaining a new understanding novel link between organelle (chloroplast) redox-signalling and plant immunity which can be exploited to develop enhanced resistance to pathogens - given the current concerns about global food insecurity, novel approaches to improving crop resilience to biotic stress have tremendous potential to increase productivity.
(b) directly linked to productivity, identification of the mechanism(s) by which plant pathogen effector proteins inhibit photosynthesis can be exploited in two ways (i) enhanced crop productivity, (ii) development of new herbicides - therefore this work will be of wide interest to agrotech companies, farmers and breeders.
How might they benefit from this research?
Outputs from this project could lead to significant potentially exploitable impact, including; .
Health and ecological impacts: Reduced waste. Reduced pollution of the environment as a result of decreased application of pesticides.
Socio-economic impacts: Increased resilience to pathogens means enhanced food security for the UK and global population. Increased public trust of genetically modified transgenic crops and synthetic biology (linked to Pathways to Impact activities) e.g. the application of CRISPR-Cas9 dual gene editing will help illustrate to the general public the advantages of using synthetically engineered crops for enhanced resilience to biotic stresses.
Economic benefits: Minimizing agricultural losses from pathogens due to enhanced pathogen resistance of engineered crops will substantially increase crop production, minimise use of pesticides and reduce waste.
Agrochemical Industry
Targeting suppression of chloroplast ROS generation offers opportunities to identify novel targets for chemical intervention. This has a number of attractions. 1, the chloroplast is a reduced complexity system. 2, many agrochemicals target the chloroplast thus companies already have expertise that can be focussed on identifying chemicals could enhance resistance to pathogens. This work will also help inform on the cross-talk between biotic and abiotic stress networks modified by pathogen induced ABA.
Farmers/Crop Producers
If successful, uptake of knowledge will be beneficial to farmers and agricultural systems globally. As we have shown that pathogens suppress photosynthesis, solutions will directly increase productivity, enabling greater yields as well as addressing increasing threats from pests and pathogens. This impact will be downstream of this project but stakeholders will be kept informed through agricultural shows and the Warwick Crop Centre open days, and MGs public engagement role as Elizabeth Creak Chair in Food Security.
Plant breeders/genetic modification
Identification of susceptibility targets offers potential for genetic editing approaches to rewire pathogen virulence strategies to prevent suppression of photosynthesis and ROS. Diseases where there no natural resistance to emerging pathogens, for example Xanthomonas Banana Wilt in Africa will particularly benefit.
Environment, public and policy
Photosynthesis is part of the national curriculum, our system lends itself to exciting real time imaging of whole plants and subcellular compartments -generating educational resources that capture the public's imagination. We anticipate that this will also be of interest to the public throughout and have implemented measures in our Pathways to Impact to exploit this.
Finally, the PDRA and Technician will both receive full and relevant training across a range of disciplines, thus increasing the skills base of UK science. Importantly, the training in plant pathology and imaging/image analysis are two skills areas identified by BBSRC/MRC as vulnerable or deficient areas.
The research has broad economic, social impact and industrial impact in two areas;
(a) gaining a new understanding novel link between organelle (chloroplast) redox-signalling and plant immunity which can be exploited to develop enhanced resistance to pathogens - given the current concerns about global food insecurity, novel approaches to improving crop resilience to biotic stress have tremendous potential to increase productivity.
(b) directly linked to productivity, identification of the mechanism(s) by which plant pathogen effector proteins inhibit photosynthesis can be exploited in two ways (i) enhanced crop productivity, (ii) development of new herbicides - therefore this work will be of wide interest to agrotech companies, farmers and breeders.
How might they benefit from this research?
Outputs from this project could lead to significant potentially exploitable impact, including; .
Health and ecological impacts: Reduced waste. Reduced pollution of the environment as a result of decreased application of pesticides.
Socio-economic impacts: Increased resilience to pathogens means enhanced food security for the UK and global population. Increased public trust of genetically modified transgenic crops and synthetic biology (linked to Pathways to Impact activities) e.g. the application of CRISPR-Cas9 dual gene editing will help illustrate to the general public the advantages of using synthetically engineered crops for enhanced resilience to biotic stresses.
Economic benefits: Minimizing agricultural losses from pathogens due to enhanced pathogen resistance of engineered crops will substantially increase crop production, minimise use of pesticides and reduce waste.
Agrochemical Industry
Targeting suppression of chloroplast ROS generation offers opportunities to identify novel targets for chemical intervention. This has a number of attractions. 1, the chloroplast is a reduced complexity system. 2, many agrochemicals target the chloroplast thus companies already have expertise that can be focussed on identifying chemicals could enhance resistance to pathogens. This work will also help inform on the cross-talk between biotic and abiotic stress networks modified by pathogen induced ABA.
Farmers/Crop Producers
If successful, uptake of knowledge will be beneficial to farmers and agricultural systems globally. As we have shown that pathogens suppress photosynthesis, solutions will directly increase productivity, enabling greater yields as well as addressing increasing threats from pests and pathogens. This impact will be downstream of this project but stakeholders will be kept informed through agricultural shows and the Warwick Crop Centre open days, and MGs public engagement role as Elizabeth Creak Chair in Food Security.
Plant breeders/genetic modification
Identification of susceptibility targets offers potential for genetic editing approaches to rewire pathogen virulence strategies to prevent suppression of photosynthesis and ROS. Diseases where there no natural resistance to emerging pathogens, for example Xanthomonas Banana Wilt in Africa will particularly benefit.
Environment, public and policy
Photosynthesis is part of the national curriculum, our system lends itself to exciting real time imaging of whole plants and subcellular compartments -generating educational resources that capture the public's imagination. We anticipate that this will also be of interest to the public throughout and have implemented measures in our Pathways to Impact to exploit this.
Finally, the PDRA and Technician will both receive full and relevant training across a range of disciplines, thus increasing the skills base of UK science. Importantly, the training in plant pathology and imaging/image analysis are two skills areas identified by BBSRC/MRC as vulnerable or deficient areas.
Publications
Drenichev MS
(2019)
A role for 3'-O-ß-D-ribofuranosyladenosine in altering plant immunity.
in Phytochemistry
Breeze E
(2023)
A tell tail sign: a conserved C-terminal tail-anchor domain targets a subset of pathogen effectors to the plant endoplasmic reticulum
in Journal of Experimental Botany
Kachroo P
(2021)
An Emerging Role for Chloroplasts in Disease and Defense.
in Annual review of phytopathology
Penfold CA
(2018)
Branch-recombinant Gaussian processes for analysis of perturbations in biological time series.
in Bioinformatics (Oxford, England)
Littlejohn GR
(2021)
Chloroplast immunity illuminated.
in The New phytologist
Breen S
(2022)
Chloroplasts play a central role in facilitating MAMP-triggered immunity, pathogen suppression of immunity and crosstalk with abiotic stress.
in Plant, cell & environment
Srivastava AK
(2018)
SUMO Suppresses the Activity of the Jasmonic Acid Receptor CORONATINE INSENSITIVE1.
in The Plant cell
Breeze E
(2022)
The Passage of H2O2 from Chloroplasts to Their Associated Nucleus during Retrograde Signalling: Reflections on the Role of the Nuclear Envelope.
in Plants (Basel, Switzerland)
Goodman J
(2018)
Updates of the In-Gel Digestion Method for Protein Analysis by Mass Spectrometry
in PROTEOMICS
Description | The ongoing work has revealed a much wider impact of the chloroplast on plant immunity than first thought. This has resulted in expanding our interactions with expert labs in USA (systemic immunity) and China (chloroplastic effector triggered immunity) - both supported through the BBSRC International Partnering Awards. As an integrator of environmental perturbation, a conduit for communicating with the nucleus, and the site of the synthesis of the majority of phytohormones, the chloroplast is becoming a central player in plant immunity.We have communicated these new insights through in two high profile review in 2020 (Tansley review) and 2021 (Annual Review of plant pathology), both publication invitaitons recognising our leadership in the field. |
Exploitation Route | Already incentivized two BBSRC Partnering awards with a systemic immunity lab in the USA and a chloroplast redox signalling lab in China as well as partially underpinning a BBSRC response mode grant on "metabolic immunity". |
Sectors | Agriculture Food and Drink Education Environment |
Description | UKPSF Growing the Future |
Geographic Reach | National |
Policy Influence Type | Implementation circular/rapid advice/letter to e.g. Ministry of Health |
URL | https://www.rsb.org.uk/images/news/2019/UKPSF_Growing_the_future.pdf |
Description | Anatomy and functions of LTP interactomes and their relationship to small RNA signals in systemic acquired resistance |
Amount | £650,866 (GBP) |
Funding ID | BB/X013049/1 |
Organisation | Biotechnology and Biological Sciences Research Council (BBSRC) |
Sector | Public |
Country | United Kingdom |
Start | 08/2023 |
End | 10/2027 |
Description | BBSRC USA Partnering Award |
Amount | £56,000 (GBP) |
Funding ID | BB/R021457/1 |
Organisation | Biotechnology and Biological Sciences Research Council (BBSRC) |
Sector | Public |
Country | United Kingdom |
Start | 04/2018 |
End | 03/2022 |
Description | China Partnering Award: Does chloroplast reactive oxygen underpin plant disease resistance? |
Amount | £30,082 (GBP) |
Funding ID | BB/S020764/1 |
Organisation | Biotechnology and Biological Sciences Research Council (BBSRC) |
Sector | Public |
Country | United Kingdom |
Start | 09/2019 |
End | 09/2024 |
Description | Nucleoside decoys - metabolic interference in plant defence |
Amount | £650,292 (GBP) |
Funding ID | BB/V01627X/1 |
Organisation | Biotechnology and Biological Sciences Research Council (BBSRC) |
Sector | Public |
Country | United Kingdom |
Start | 09/2021 |
End | 07/2025 |
Description | Shapeshifting: how is plant ER architecture manipulated by pathogen effectors? |
Amount | £526,345 (GBP) |
Funding ID | BB/W007126/1 |
Organisation | Biotechnology and Biological Sciences Research Council (BBSRC) |
Sector | Public |
Country | United Kingdom |
Start | 05/2022 |
End | 05/2025 |
Title | Cell sorting of chloroplasts using shape and endogeneous reporters |
Description | We discovered that chloroplasts of phytobacterial infected leaf tissues became more fragile and some changed shape. We developed chloroplast sorting and imaging protocols (and are currently fine tuning) on state-of-the-art ImageStream X MkII and BD Fortessa & BD LSRII flow cytometers. This will provide the opportunity to explore this recently discovered chloroplast heterogenity through proteomics. |
Type Of Material | Technology assay or reagent |
Year Produced | 2024 |
Provided To Others? | No |
Impact | To our knowledge there is no research onto chloroplast heterogenity under stress conditions and this concept was co-developed with our Collaborators at the Shanghai Plant Stress Centre and preliminary tests at Warwicks Cell Sorting Facility have proven the utility of this as a means to look at different cellular chloroplast processes using proteomics. |
Title | Developing plant organelle based H2O2 sensors for dynamic measurement of changes in hydrogen peroxide on organelles during plant pathogen responses |
Description | We have developed and generated, in collaboroation with our Exeter partner, Prof. Nick Smirnoff, genetically encoded reporter constructs of roGFP2-orp1 that are localised to the chloroplast, cytosol, nucleus and peroxisomes that allow use to look at H2O2 dynamics in different organelles during pathogen infection. |
Type Of Material | Technology assay or reagent |
Year Produced | 2019 |
Provided To Others? | No |
Impact | In progress. encouraging evidence of a "wave" of H2O2 being generated - particularly strong during ETI resppnses and providing totally novel and unexpected insight into ROS signalling in plant immunity. |
Description | Cross talk between CNLs and TNLs in effector triggered immunity |
Organisation | Instituto de Hortofruticultura Subtropical y Mediterránea "La Mayora" |
Country | Spain |
Sector | Public |
PI Contribution | We established the novel techniques to monitor activated R protein signalling and looked at CNL and TNL signalling and the contribution of helper (RNLs) in the process. We then approached our Malaga partners who focus on Zar1, an "orphan" CNL to look at combinatorial challenges. |
Collaborator Contribution | Malaga have generated specific constructs to look at how effectors that activate plant disease resistance signalling cross talk to later chlorophyll dynamics - which is a surrogate readout for activation of, or suppression of plant disease signalling networks. Their contribution has been invaluable in enabling us to decipher activation dynamics and implicated competition for specific components in signal activation. |
Impact | Paper in preparation Small workshop organised for April 2023. |
Start Year | 2020 |
Description | Cross talk between CNLs and TNLs in effector triggered immunity |
Organisation | University of Malaga |
Country | Spain |
Sector | Academic/University |
PI Contribution | We established the novel techniques to monitor activated R protein signalling and looked at CNL and TNL signalling and the contribution of helper (RNLs) in the process. We then approached our Malaga partners who focus on Zar1, an "orphan" CNL to look at combinatorial challenges. |
Collaborator Contribution | Malaga have generated specific constructs to look at how effectors that activate plant disease resistance signalling cross talk to later chlorophyll dynamics - which is a surrogate readout for activation of, or suppression of plant disease signalling networks. Their contribution has been invaluable in enabling us to decipher activation dynamics and implicated competition for specific components in signal activation. |
Impact | Paper in preparation Small workshop organised for April 2023. |
Start Year | 2020 |
Description | Developing novel chloroplast localised NAD/P sensors |
Organisation | University of Hong Kong |
Country | Hong Kong |
Sector | Academic/University |
PI Contribution | We are collaborating to undertake measure a set of unique sensors developed by Dr Boon Lim, and expert in energy balances in plants, to specifically understand how dynamics of NAD/P change during basal immunity, effector triggered immunity and suppression of effector triggered immunity. |
Collaborator Contribution | Dr Boon Leong LIM, an Associate Professor in gthe School of Biological Sciences, University of Hong Kong is specifically developing a unique cytosol and chloroplast localised Apollo sensor for measuring NADP during pathogen responses - this being developed in wildtype , NADK2 overexpressor and the nadk3 mutant . He is also selecting and supplying iNAP sensors for ratiometric measurements of NADP/H in chloroplasts and cytosolic locations to monitor these metabolite dynamics during plant disease and defense |
Impact | This involves development of novel sensors, never before deployed in plants and the application of sophisticated imaging technologies, confocal with 2-photon system and a GaAsP detector, and a plant-pathogen infection system amenable to both syncronous infections and the ability to discriminate PTI responses from pathogen effector activity. |
Start Year | 2020 |
Description | BEE meeting |
Form Of Engagement Activity | A talk or presentation |
Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
Geographic Reach | National |
Primary Audience | Professional Practitioners |
Results and Impact | Talk on bio-electricity and its role in elaborating the plant systemic immune response |
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2018 |
Description | BSPP Presidential Meeting 2018 |
Form Of Engagement Activity | A talk or presentation |
Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
Geographic Reach | International |
Primary Audience | Professional Practitioners |
Results and Impact | Keynote address at BSPP Presidential Meeting |
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2018 |
Description | Departmental Seminar, University of Nottingham Plant & Crop Sciences Division, 12 June 2019 |
Form Of Engagement Activity | A talk or presentation |
Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
Geographic Reach | National |
Primary Audience | Postgraduate students |
Results and Impact | Departmental seminar focusing on whole plant and real time imaging of plant-microbe interactions with a focus on the role of the chloroplast in modulating responses. |
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2019 |
Description | Dynamic video display at Fascination of Plants Day, Warwick Crop Centre, Wellescourne April 2017 |
Form Of Engagement Activity | Participation in an activity, workshop or similar |
Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
Geographic Reach | Local |
Primary Audience | Public/other audiences |
Results and Impact | Ran a dynamic stand addressing the impact and consequences of ash dieback - the role of the chloroplast in plant immunity and the importance of bananas to global plant security. |
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2017 |
Description | Hosted work experience student Mr Tom Pugsley |
Form Of Engagement Activity | Participation in an open day or visit at my research institution |
Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
Geographic Reach | Local |
Primary Audience | Undergraduate students |
Results and Impact | Hosted 3.5 week work experience for Mr Tom Pugsley to learn new plant imaging techniques. |
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2019 |
Description | Invited speaker at plant disease resistance workshop North West Agricultural and Forestry University, Yangling, China |
Form Of Engagement Activity | A talk or presentation |
Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
Geographic Reach | Regional |
Primary Audience | Postgraduate students |
Results and Impact | As part of an international workshop on plant disease resistance presented work on chloroplast immunity and methodology developed in the ash dieback project for untargetted metabolite profiling. |
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2019 |
Description | Kenilworth Agricultural Show |
Form Of Engagement Activity | Participation in an activity, workshop or similar |
Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
Geographic Reach | Regional |
Primary Audience | Public/other audiences |
Results and Impact | Set up displays and shows in the Education Tent at the Kenilworth Show, looking at public perception of plant pathogens, how disease develops and how we are using state-of-the-art techniques to mitigate this. Used ash dieback as an exemplar which the public could readily engage and introduced the concept of mass spectrometry to understand how we could look at small molecules that might be causal to disease prevention or progression. |
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2019 |
Description | Kenilworth Agricultural Show |
Form Of Engagement Activity | Participation in an open day or visit at my research institution |
Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
Geographic Reach | Regional |
Primary Audience | Public/other audiences |
Results and Impact | Ran an educational demonstration at the Royal Kenilworth Agricultural Show |
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2017 |
Description | Kentucky seminar |
Form Of Engagement Activity | A talk or presentation |
Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
Geographic Reach | International |
Primary Audience | Professional Practitioners |
Results and Impact | Seminar on the rle of the chloroplast in systemic acquired resistance |
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2018 |
Description | Keynote speaker at MPMI meeting, Glasgow 2019 |
Form Of Engagement Activity | A talk or presentation |
Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
Geographic Reach | International |
Primary Audience | Professional Practitioners |
Results and Impact | Keynote presentation on the role of the chloroplast in local and systemic signalling and presented unpublished data on the role of endoplasmic reticulum remodelling in plant pathogen interactions. |
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2019 |
URL | https://ismpmi.confex.com/ismpmi/2019/meetingapp.cgi/Person/4891 |
Description | NWAFU |
Form Of Engagement Activity | A talk or presentation |
Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
Geographic Reach | National |
Primary Audience | Postgraduate students |
Results and Impact | Keynote presentation at the North West Agricultural and forestry University |
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2018 |
Description | Pradeep seminar |
Form Of Engagement Activity | A talk or presentation |
Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
Geographic Reach | Local |
Primary Audience | Professional Practitioners |
Results and Impact | Collaborator Prof. Pradeep Kachroo presented seminar entitled "Intercellular communication in systemic acquired resistance" to audience at School of Life Sciences, Warwick as part of our reciprocal visits on our BBSRC UK Partnering ward. |
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2018 |
Description | Presentation at the Shanghai Centre for Plant Stress Biology |
Form Of Engagement Activity | A talk or presentation |
Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
Geographic Reach | National |
Primary Audience | Postgraduate students |
Results and Impact | Presented the concept of chloroplast immunity in both PAMP triggered immunity, effector triggered immunity and as a driver in generating a systemic immune signal to establish systemic acquired resistance. |
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2019 |
Description | Public Evening - Science on the Hill |
Form Of Engagement Activity | Participation in an activity, workshop or similar |
Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
Geographic Reach | Local |
Primary Audience | Public/other audiences |
Results and Impact | Presented the hypothetical scenario - what plants could grow on Mars, and what would they look like (i.e. what adaptations are required for a life on Mars) as part of an extra-solar planet talk. |
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2019 |
Description | School visit (Birmingham) |
Form Of Engagement Activity | A talk or presentation |
Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
Geographic Reach | Local |
Primary Audience | Schools |
Results and Impact | Lectured to just over 200 students (Year 8) on food security and the importance of the chloroplast at Cockshut Hill, Birmingham |
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2023 |