Edinburgh, Scotland, United Kingdom - TAIR

Pathogen effectors and host responses C25
Thursday 14:30 - 15:00
Plant Defence
To enable a pathogenic lifestyle many organisms produce a repertoire of proteins
that enable them to colonize host tissue. These proteins, effectors, are likely to
be targeted to suppressing host immune mechanisms and redirecting nutritional
resources to benefit the pathogen. We are studying the interaction between the
downy mildew pathogen Hyaloperonospora arabidopsidis and Arabidopsis. We
have just completed the sequencing of the H. arabidopsidis genome and it
reveals a gene content that suggests that it has been adapted to a biotophic
lifestyle. It has a very large effector content that suggests complex mechanisms
of interaction between host and pathogen. We are analyzing the role of individual
effector proteins in interacting with the host plant immune system. Finally, we
are analyzing the role nature of the host plant response to biotic and abiotic
stress using systems biology approaches.
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Jim Beynon
Warwick HRI
University of Warwick
Wellesbourne
Warwick
Warwickshire
CV35 9EF