CAREER: Deciphering the mechanism of a broad-spectrum resistance gene against Fusarium gramin

植物病害给全球农业生产造成重大损失。了解农作物对主要病原菌的抗性机制对于确保日益增长的人类人口的粮食安全至关重要。禾谷镰刀菌引起小麦和大麦的赤霉病，严重威胁全球粮食安全和食品安全。传统的主要抗性基因对禾谷镰刀菌不起作用，而非典型寄主抗性蛋白的分子机制尚未得到研究。该项目将致力于从分子水平了解一种新型的抗禾谷镰刀菌的蛋白。研究将包括表征蛋白质的细胞和亚细胞定位，调查蛋白质的运输途径，以及研究抗性蛋白质与病原体相互作用的性质。该项目的长期影响将是开发知识库，以设计对半生物营养性和坏死性病原体的广谱抗性。提案中计划的协同教育活动包括为当地一所高中的少数族裔学生提供暑期实习计划，以激励他们在STEM深造，并为本科生提供积极的植物科学研究实践经验。该项目的进一步教育目标将包括提高普通公众、农民和幼儿对植物科学的认识。植物对坏死性病原菌和半生物营养性病原菌的抗性分子机制知之甚少。利用广谱植物抗性蛋白，该项目试图研究对这类病原体的抗性的分子成分。将利用拟南芥、烟草和小麦植物系统，对由一种形成孔洞的类毒素(PFT)蛋白所产生的对禾谷镰刀菌的非典型抗性进行机制研究。PFT缺乏分泌肽信号，具有向质外体非常规转运的功能。PFT的非传统运输途径将用荧光标记和显微镜来表征。通过分析小麦穗部不同发育阶段的PFT蛋白水平，研究PFT与禾谷镰刀菌互作的时间和空间维度。PFT与其他病原菌的相互作用将提供PFT识别镰刀菌的特异性细节。在这份职业计划中产生的关于广谱抗病基因机制的高级知识将促进作物对真菌病原体的抗药性的发展。计划的教育活动包括为当地一所高中的少数民族学生开展为期六周的暑期实习计划，以及为植物科学研究的本科生提供科学孵化。其他更广泛的影响包括向农民、利益相关者和普通公众宣传植物科学研究在确保所有人的食品安全和食品安全方面的重要性。该奖项反映了NSF的法定使命，并通过使用基金会的智力优势和更广泛的影响审查标准进行评估，被认为值得支持。

Plant diseases cause significant losses to global agricultural production. Understanding the mechanism of resistance to major pathogens of crop plants is essential to ensuring food security for the ever-increasing human population. Fusarium graminearum, causing Fusarium Head Blight disease of wheat and barley, is a serious threat to global food security, and food safety. The traditional major resistance genes are not effective against F. graminearum, whereas the molecular mechanisms of atypical host resistance proteins have not been studied so far. Efforts in this project will be targeted to develop molecular understanding of a novel resistance protein against F. graminearum. Research will include characterizing the cellular and sub-cellular localization of the protein, investigating the pathway of transport of the protein, and study of the nature of interaction of the resistance protein with the pathogen. Long term implications of the project will be the development of knowledge-base to design broad-spectrum resistance against hemi-biotrophic and necrotrophic pathogens. Synergistic educational activities planned in the proposal include summer internship program for minority students from a local high school to motivate them to pursue higher studies in STEM, and providing undergraduate students positive hands-on experience in plant science research. Further educational goals of the project will include raising awareness about plant sciences in the general public, farmers and young children. Molecular mechanisms of plant resistance against necrotrophic and hemi-biotrophic pathogens are poorly understood. Using a broad-spectrum plant resistance protein, this project seeks to investigate molecular components of resistance against this category of pathogens. Mechanistic investigations will be carried out on atypical resistance against F. graminearum conferred by a ‘Pore-forming toxin-like’ (PFT) protein using Arabidopsis, Nicotiana, and wheat plant systems. PFT lacks secretory peptide signal and has an unconventional trafficking to the apoplast. The non-traditional trafficking pathway of PFT will be characterized with fluorescent tagging and microscopy. Temporal and spatial dimension of PFT- F. graminearum interaction will be studied by analyzing the protein levels of PFT in various developmental stages of wheat spikes: the infection court of F. graminearum. Interaction of PFT with other pathogens will provide details about the specificity of recognition of Fusarium spp by PFT. The advanced knowledge generated in this CAREER proposal on the mechanism of a broad-spectrum resistance gene will facilitate the development of resistance against fungal pathogens in crop plants. Educational activities planned include conducting a six-week summer internship program for minority students from a local high school, as well as providing scientific incubation to undergraduate students in plant science research. Additional broader impacts include informing farmers, stakeholders and the general public about the importance of plant science research in ensuring food security and food safety for all.This award reflects NSF's statutory mission and has been deemed worthy of support through evaluation using the Foundation's intellectual merit and broader impacts review criteria.