Biochemical characterisation of the translocation process of RxLR-like effector proteins via tyrosine-O-sulphate modified cell surface receptors

联合国预测，到2050年，世界人口将达到90-100亿。为了为不断增长的世界人口提供足够的粮食，需要在未来更严格地开发仍有增长能力的粮食生产领域，如水产养殖，但也需要减少疾病造成的损失。我们的目的是了解严重影响粮食生产的卵菌寄生虫的早期寄主病原体相互作用。卵菌是一种类似真菌的有机体，会引起动植物的疾病。例如，不同的腐殖病种类在不同的发育水平感染鱼类(腐殖病)。为了致病，这些寄生虫需要将分子输送到它们的宿主细胞中，以操纵宿主的方式，使其能够成功地感染和繁殖。其中一组这样的分子是所谓的效应器。这些分子不仅针对特定的宿主分子，而且一些分子似乎还劫持了宿主的运输机制，以便进入细胞。我们将描述效应器蛋白用于移位到宿主细胞的分子机制，因为对这些过程的详细了解将有助于我们开发能够阻止感染过程的方法/物质。这将使鱼能够更有效地击退卵菌攻击者。此外，我们希望使用“效应器进入系统”来开发一种浸泡疫苗，使鱼类不再需要处理和注射。这种疫苗将减少鱼类的压力和疫苗接种相关疾病的发生，包括腐豆病。

The United Nations predict that by 2050 about 9-10 billion people will populate the world. To provide enough food for the growing world population requires that areas of food production that still have the capacity to grow, like aquaculture, will be exploited more rigorously in the future but also that losses due to diseases need to be reduced. Our aim is to understand early host pathogen interactions of oomycete parasites that heavily impact food production. Oomycetes are fungal-like organisms that cause diseases on plants and animals. For example different Saprolegnia species infects fish (Saprolegniosis) at different development levels. In order to cause disease these parasites need to deliver molecules into their host cells to manipulate the host in such a way that it can infect and propagate successfully. One group of such molecules are the so called effectors. These molecules do not only target specific host molecules but some also seem to highjack host transport mechanisms in order to enter the cells. We will characterise the molecular mechanisms that effector proteins use to translocate into host cells, since a detailed understanding of these processes will help us to develop methods/substances that can block the infection process. This will allow fish to fight off their oomycete attackers more efficiently. In addition, we would like to use the 'effector entering system' to develop an immersion vaccine whereby fish do not need to be handled and injected anymore. Such a vaccine would reduce stress in fish and the occurrence of vaccination associated diseases, which includes Saprolegniosis.