CAREER:Dissecting the role of a putative blue-light photoreceptor in stomatal sensing and infection during fungal pathogenesis

职业：剖析假定的蓝光感受器在真菌发病过程中气孔感知和感染中的作用

• 批准号: 1253256
• 负责人: Burton Bluhm
• 金额: $ 77.8万
• 依托单位: University of Arkansas
• 依托单位国家: 美国
• 项目类别: Standard Grant
• 财政年份: 2013
• 资助国家: 美国
• 起止时间: 2013-09-01 至 2019-08-31
• 项目状态: 已结题
• 来源: https://www.nsf.gov/awardsearch/showAward?AWD_ID=1253256&HistoricalAwards=false
• 关键词: CAREER; Dissecting; role; putative; blue

Gray leaf spot of corn, caused by the fungus Cercospora zeae-maydis, is one of the most important diseases of corn in the U.S. and other regions of the world. The fungus infects corn through natural pores (stomata) of leaves, although the infection process is poorly understood. Recent discoveries indicate that infection by the fungus is governed by daily cycles of light and darkness, which provide an important clue for genetic analyses. In this project, the genetic and molecular basis of gray leaf spot will be investigated, with emphasis on understanding how the fungus utilizes environmental cues (including daily light/dark cycles) to coordinate its attack on corn. A blend of genetic, molecular, biochemical, and computational techniques will be used to determine how the fungus causes disease. Ultimately, this information will be used to model genetic interactions linking the molecular clock of the fungus and other environmental cues with infection and colonization of corn leaves. By providing a genetic blueprint explaining how C. zeae-maydis causes gray leaf spot, this project will provide important new information to a broad community of researchers working to understand and control fungal diseases of corn and other crops. Additionally, this project will provide training opportunities for students in the U.S. and Africa who belong to groups underrepresented in science research. Finally, participants in this project will work closely with growers and producers in educational efforts to explain the crucial roles basic research plays in U.S. agriculture.

玉米灰斑病（Gray Leaf Spot of Corn）是由玉米尾孢菌（Cercospora zeae-maydis）引起的玉米病害，是美国和世界其他地区最重要的玉米病害之一。 该真菌通过叶片的天然气孔（气孔）感染玉米，尽管对感染过程知之甚少。 最近的发现表明，真菌的感染是由每天的光和暗周期控制的，这为遗传分析提供了重要线索。 在这个项目中，将调查灰叶斑病的遗传和分子基础，重点是了解真菌如何利用环境线索（包括每日光/暗周期）来协调其对玉米的攻击。 遗传、分子、生物化学和计算技术的混合将用于确定真菌如何引起疾病。 最终，这些信息将用于模拟遗传相互作用，将真菌的分子钟和其他环境线索与玉米叶片的感染和定殖联系起来。 通过提供一个基因蓝图来解释C。玉米灰斑病，该项目将为广大研究人员提供重要的新信息，以了解和控制玉米和其他作物的真菌疾病。 此外，该项目将为美国和非洲的学生提供培训机会，这些学生属于科学研究中代表性不足的群体。 最后，该项目的参与者将在教育工作中与种植者和生产者密切合作，解释基础研究在美国农业中的关键作用。