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

植物病害对全球农业生产造成重大损失。了解农作物对主要病原体的抗性机制对于确保不断增长的人口的粮食安全至关重要。导致小麦和大麦赤霉病的小麦赤霉病是对全球粮食安全和食品安全的严重威胁。传统的主要抗性基因对稻瘟病菌的抗性均不明显，而非典型宿主抗性蛋白的分子机制也尚未得到研究。本项目的目标是开发一种新的抗小麦赤霉病蛋白的分子机制。研究将包括表征蛋白质的细胞和亚细胞定位，研究蛋白质的运输途径，以及研究抗性蛋白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，以设计抗半生物营养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民族学生提供暑期实习计划，以激励他们在STEM领域进行更高的学习，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公众、农民和幼儿对植物科学的认识。植物抵抗坏死性和半生物营养性病原体的分子机制尚不清楚。利用广谱植物抗性蛋白，该项目旨在研究抵抗这类病原体的分子成分。将利用拟南芥、烟叶和小麦植物系统，对一种“孔形成毒素样”（PFT）蛋白对禾本科赤霉病的非典型抗性进行机制研究。PFT缺乏分泌肽信号，并具有非传统的外质体运输。利用荧光标记和显微技术对PFT的非传统转运途径进行表征。通过分析小麦穗状真菌侵染区不同发育阶段PFT蛋白水平，研究PFT与禾谷镰刀菌相互作用的时空维度。PFT与其他病原体的相互作用将提供PFT识别镰刀菌特异性的细节。这篇关于广谱抗性基因机制的研究将促进作物植物对真菌病原体的抗性的发展。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、利益相关者和公众宣传植物科学研究在确保所有人的粮食安全和食品安全方面的重要性。该奖项反映了美国国家科学基金会的法定使命，并通过使用基金会的知识价值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.