Project Details
Projekt
Part A) Fungal metabolites as modulators of signalling pathways in plant/pathogen-interactions Part B) Influence of secondary metabolites from Magnaporthe oryzae on plant signalling and development
Applicant
Professor Dr. Eckhard Thines
Subject Area
Plant Cell and Developmental Biology
Term
from 2007 to 2009
Project identifier
Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft (DFG) - Project number 39789490
Part A) Fungal metabolites as modulators of signalling pathways in plant/pathogeninteractions: The overwhelming majority of fungi is associated with dead or living plants. Most of the fungi produce a wide variety of secondary metabolites of which some have been developed into valuable pharmaceuticals or agrochemicals. However, the potential benefits for the producing fungi or their role in plant/fungus relationships are in most cases unclear and open to speculation. Endophytes for example produce different and fewer compounds in planta as compared to their saprophytic phase. Approximately 8.600 fungal metabolites have been isolated to date (Bérdy, 2005). However, the large pool of “inactive” metabolites for which no possible function is known rests to a large extent uninvestigated. Here, especially in the case of endophytic and saprophytic fungi we expect compounds which act to reprogram the metabolism of the host in their favor, allowing an endophyte to cope with host defense and give it access to plant nutrients. The small molecule libraries will be tested in a series of reporter gene strains targeting all signalling cascades in yeast and plants available to the ‘SPP’-consortium.Part B) Influence of secondary metabolites from Magnaporthe oryzae on plant signalling anddevelopment:The aim of this project is the identification of Magnaporthe oryzae metabolites involved in the re-programming of the host plant metabolism. A few fungal compounds have already been proven critical to the outcome and severity of the infection. Several secondary metabolites produced by the rice blast fungus M. oryzae have been identified as virulence factors, such as pyriculol. In order to investigate the role of fungal secondary metabolism in plant/pathogeninteraction a reversed genetics approach will be used by which mutants unable to synthesize phytotoxins/secondary metabolites will be generated. Characterization of the resulting mutants as well as plant-infection assays and subsequent analysis of plant signaling pathways will lead to a better understanding of plant/pathogen-interactions. Furthermore by using an Agrobacterium tumefaciens-based random mutagenesis program we will identify transformants unable to induce plant defense response in compatible M. oryzae/Arabidopsis thaliana-interactions.
DFG Programme
Priority Programmes
