Beneficial RNA interference in model and crop plants

• Applicant: Dr. Ena Secic
• Subject Area: Plant Breeding and Plant Pathology ; Plant Physiology
• Term: since 2024
• Project identifier: Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft (DFG) - Project number 433194101

We aim to investigate the role of extracellular RNA (exRNA) molecules in the interaction between plant hosts and a fungal beneficial endophyte. Our plant hosts are Arabidopsis thaliana and barley (Hordeum vulgare), and the fungal endophyte is Serendipita indica. Extracellular RNAs are expected to be expressed in the fungus, and then transferred into plant hosts, in order to regulate processes and pathways involved in establishment and maintenance of symbiosis. We are especially interested in exRNAs that regulate plant growth and stress resilience. Within the planned project, we will utilize analyses of sequencing datasets, and molecular biology approaches to validate and assign a plant-beneficial function to our fungal exRNA candidates. Additionally, Serendipita indica has a broad host range, so we can cross-compare the identified exRNAs and their targets between Arabidopsis and barley. This will result in knowledge about conservation of exRNAs and their targeted pathways in a model and a crop plant. Thus, our main objectives in the proposal can be summarized as follows: I) Which pathways do Serendipita indica exRNAs target to regulate the establishment of symbioses and/or of beneficial plant effects? II) How conserved are underlying Serendipita indica exRNA-regulated symbiotic pathways between model plant-symbiont systems and crop plant-symbiont systems?

• DFG Programme: Research Units
• Subproject of: FOR 5116: “exRNA”: Plant-microbe communication through extracellular RNA
• International Connection: France
• Co-Investigator: Professor Dr. Patrick Schäfer
• Cooperation Partner: Professor Dr. Karl-Heinz Kogel