Executor plant resistance proteins - pathway dissection by forward and reverse genetics

• Applicant: Professor Dr. Thomas Lahaye
• Subject Area: Organismic Interactions, Chemical Ecology and Microbiomes of Plant Systems
• Term: from 2015 to 2020
• Project identifier: Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft (DFG) - Project number 281354748

Executor R proteins are a novel, structurally diverse class of proteins that trigger plant immune reactions but that mechanistically differ from well-known NLR-type R proteins. We aim to identify pathway components of executor R proteins to get first insights into their mode of function. We will focus on the analysis of Bs3 and Bs4C, two executor R proteins from pepper. A population of pepper mutant plants will serve as a common platform for complementary forward and reverse genetic screens aimed at identifying components required for Bs3/Bs4C-mediated immune reactions. A forward screen shall identify pathway components by phenotypical screening of the pepper mutant population. Subsequently, causal mutations will be identified by mapping-by-sequencing. In the reverse screen, transcriptome-profiling will identify putative pathway components. These will be functionally studied in corresponding pepper mutant plants identified by TILLING. Once we have identified Bs3/Bs4C pathway components we will clarify how they are involved in the given immune reactions. Our project will provide the first insights into how the executor R proteins Bs3 and Bs4C mediate immune reactions and whether or not distinct executor R proteins and NLR-type R proteins share common signaling components.

• DFG Programme: Research Grants