Effector biogenesis: an unexplored, and yet critically important, part of plant-nematode interactions

效应器决定了植物和入侵生物之间的接触。我将定义植物寄生线虫中效应生物发生的专门机制作为控制目标。植物寄生线虫威胁着全球粮食安全。随着现有化学控制措施的逐步淘汰，潜伏感染将在不久的将来在欧洲爆发。对新解决方案的需求凸显了实现这些解决方案所必需的重大知识差距。线虫致病的能力取决于数百种“效应器”：在感染期间传递到植物中的分子。阻断效应器可阻断寄生，但仅阻断单个效应器是不够的。相反，我建议我们应该攻击大多数效应物的特征——它们的生物发生机制。效应器必须通过专门的管道进入工厂。毫无疑问，效应生物发生是线虫的致命弱点。由于该系统难以处理，30年来，对状态效应生物发生的研究一直没有进行。随着我们最近在功能遗传学方面的发展，我的实验室现在完全有能力通过解决以下目标来剖析这一具有战略意义的重要知识差距：1)效应物生产-是什么诱导了线虫中的效应物生物合成？2)效应器修饰——效应器在翻译后修饰了吗？这有什么相关性？效应器包装-效应器是如何选择性包装的，机器是负责什么的？4)效应器输送——效应器何时以及如何输送到工厂？这一建议将突出全球重要植物害虫生物技术控制的多种有吸引力的目标。为了实现这一目标，我们需要开辟一个全新的效应研究领域，贡献新的战略相关性基础知识，并为从个体效应物到效应物生物发生的整体观点的范式转变提供一个平台。

Effectors dictate the engagement between plants and invading organisms. I will define the specialised mechanisms of effector biogenesis in plant-parasitic nematodes as targets for control.The problemPlant-parasitic nematodes threaten global food security. Latent infections are set to explode across Europe in the near future with the phasing out of existing chemical controls. The demand for new solutions highlights significant knowledge gaps necessary to achieve them.VisionThe ability of nematodes to cause disease depends on hundreds of "effectors": molecules delivered into the plant during infection. Blocking effectors blocks parasitism, however, blocking individual effectors is insufficient. Rather, I propose we should attack the features that unite most effectors - their biogenesis machinery. Effectors have to pass through a specialised conduit to get into the plant. Surely, effector biogenesis is the Achilles heel of the nematode.State-of-the-artEffector biogenesis has not been studied for 30 years because the system was intractable. With our recent development in functional genetics, my lab is now perfectly placed to dissect this strategically important knowledge gap, by addressing the following objectives:1) Effector production - what induces effector biosynthesis in the nematode?2) Effector modification - are effectors post-translationally modified and what relevance does this have?3) Effector packaging - how are effectors selectively packaged and what is the machinery responsible?4) Effector delivery - when and how do effectors get delivered into the plant?This proposal will highlight a multiplicity of attractive targets for the biotechnological control of globally important plant pests. To achieve this, we will need to open a whole new area of effector study, contribute new fundamental knowledge of strategic relevance, and provide a platform for a paradigm shift from individual effectors to a holistic view of effector biogenesis.