Redefining Cdc14 Phosphatase: Exposing Roles in Flagellated Cells Through Studies of an Oomycete

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Intellectual MeritThis project focuses on a protein called Cdc14. The protein was described initially as a regulator of the replication of nuclei during cell growth, and is generally assumed to play that role in most organisms. However, recent findings conflict with that traditional model. This research will bring a new perspective to the Cdc14 story by examining Phytophthora infestans, a plant pathogenic microbe that was the cause of the historic Irish Famine of the mid-1800's and is still a major threat to food production. P. infestans grows by forming hyphae that make stationary spores that in turn release swimming spores. Its Cdc14 is needed to form the swimming spores, and much of the protein localizes to the swimming apparatus, also known as flagella. To learn more about the function of Cdc14, experiments will be performed to define precisely where in the cell the protein resides, learn how it is targeted to those locations, test how it influences swimming spore behavior, and study proteins that may be regulated by Cdc14. This work will contribute to the development of a unified theme to explain the function(s) of Cdc14 in P. infestans and other species. It will likely also be relevant to understanding the formation and evolution of flagella, which are central to the life cycles of both single-cell and multicellular organisms.Broader impactsPhytophthora and its relatives cause numerous destructive diseases on plants and animals in agriculture and natural environments. The research may lead to ways to prevent losses in those systems, for example by identifying cellular targets that if inhibited would block infection of hosts. The work also integrates research, education, and outreach, as it will train a postdoctoral fellow, graduate students, and undergraduates. The investigator has a record of supporting undergraduate research by students from under-represented groups, and providing the oomycete research community with experimental tools and training. Such activities will continue throughout this project.