Arabidopsis 2010: Mechanisms of NB-LRR disease resistance protein function

Plants have a sophisticated immune system that is very different in molecular terms from that of humans, but serves the same general purpose: recognize and respond to pathogen infection. Plant pathogens cause diseases that result in the loss of up to 30% of crops annually, and this is often after the required fresh water has been added to the crops, and despite the use of chemicals to control infections. Thus, learning about how the plant immune system works, in order to 'help plants help themselves' will result in saving lots of fresh water and lead to environmentally sustainable agronomic practices.

This project fits the 2009 call for the NSF Arabidopsis 2010 Programs heading (2) Adaptation to the environment. The research will 'determine the function of Arabidopsis genes and gene networks involved in plant responses to the environment and in adaptation to biotic or abiotic conditions.' The project concerns the control of intracellular receptors of the plant immune system. A multi-disciplinary approach combining genetics (forward and reverse), biochemistry and cell biology will be used to understand how these receptors, called NB-LRR proteins, are assembled into a pre-activation, signal competent state and to define how they are specifically activated after infection.

Broader impacts: An increasingly detailed view of how the plant immune system functions to mitigate losses is emerging from a community focus on the application of Arabidopsis to important problems in plant pathology. The reference plant species, Arabidopsis thaliana, is useful for studies of nearly all classes of pathogens that are agronomically relevant. Hence, a broader impact of this project is that the results will significantly inform translation to crop species. This has already begun with the cloning and utilization of genes from crops originally identified in Arabidopsis. The use of genetics, molecular biology, biochemistry, and cell biology makes this project an excellent training ground for scientists from undergraduate to post-doctoral levels. Topics investigated are incorporated into a course taught by the PI on 'Strategies of Host-Microbe Interactions'. The PI's lab actively seeks to engage undergraduates in research projects and the PI is involved in public policy and public debates directly related to the topics of this proposal.

Learn more about this project at:

http://www.bio.unc.edu/dangl/lab/projects/index.htm