Untapping the Potential of Small Effecter Molecules Produced by Endophytic Microbes for Cellulose Modification Strategies

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Cellulose is an essential component of every plant cell. It is also the most abundant biopolymer on Earth and of great societal importance (food, clothing, shelter and fuel). Therefore, identifying compounds that modulate cellulose biosynthesis is critical to enhance biomaterials for human use. The current project reasons that plant associated microorganisms secrete natural products that are capable of modifying plant cellulose biosynthesis, and that this could be systematically exploited to identify new bioactive compounds. Complexity of natural small molecules generally limits the ability to isolate bioactive compound(s). To overcome this hurdle, this project will couple chemical fingerprinting with genetics and live cell imaging to identify bioactive constituents and the mechanism(s) by which they act. The project will have broad community impact through training via the Science Readiness Program, a program tailored to provide a bridge for students between high school and University and to enhance the pedagogy of professor, high school teacher and student. Resources developed in this project will be deposited or made available for others via an online database.