Guardians of the Apoplast

Yield losses due to to plant pathogens pose a substantial threat to industrial and small scale agriculture alike. A decisive parameter for the susceptibility of a plant to a particular pathogen is the outcome of their interaction in the plant apoplast (intercellular space) which differs significantly between different plant species. Plants secrete a range of different proteins that are involved in a multi-layered defence response against potential pathogens. Thus, plant and pathogenic proteins are under evolutionary pressure to evade detection or degradation by the corresponding interaction partner. To date, only few physical interactions between plants and cognate pathogens are known. We aim to identify apoplastic proteins that are involved in physical plant-pathogen interaction for several species using a new approach of nominating apoplastic proteins on the basis of their diversifying evolutionary genetic profile. Characterization of nominated proteins includes detection of potential pathogen-derived interaction partners and quantification of their contribution to biotic stress tolerance. This is facilitated by recent major plant genome resequencing projects of scientifically well-established and economically important plant species. The aim of this novel approach is to identify hubs in direct plant-pathogen interaction in order to improve our understanding of plant immunity and contribute to sustainable solutions of reducing yield losses in modern agriculture.

BBSRC priorities:
Data Driven Biology
Sustainably enhancing agricultural production
Global Food Security