Molecular manipulation of Arabidopsis by type III effectors from the bacterial plant pathogens Pseudomonas syringae and Xanthomonas

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Plant pathogenic Pseudomonas syringae and Xanthomonas spp. reprogram plant cells with effector proteins that are translocated into the plant cell cytoplasm via a type III secretion system. We study the molecular activities of effectors and aim to identify their plant targets. Subcellular localization studies of P. syringae effectors with putative ADP-ribosyltransferase (ADP-RT) activity suggests that they target plant components at the plasma membrane and the microtubular network. We will identify plant targets using interaction screens and enzyme assays. TAL effectors from Xanthomonas bind specific promoter DNA sequences of plant genes and induce their expression. The DNA binding is mediated by a novel, modular DNA binding domain which determines a predictable specificity. TALs from Arabidopsis-pathogenic Xanthomonas and artificial TALs will be studied to understand the molecular parameters for specificity of action.