Thuricin 17 and novel plant signals: Mitigating plant stress, optimizing performance

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The green leaves of plants are the source of almost all energy for the terrestrial biosphere. A crop plant growing in the field has a large population of associated microbes, most associated with the roots. In all probability populations of microbes have been associated with terrestrial plants since they colonized the land, and many sophisticated and subtle relationships are likely to have evolved. Only three of these have been explored in any detail: rhizobial nitrogen fixation associations, Frankia nitrogen fixation associations and mycorrhizal associations. Over the last decade we have isolated and characterized a small protein (thurcin 17) produced by a root associated bacterium that helps plants cope with stresses such as drought, salt and low temperature. Some of these stresses will become more common as climate change progresses. Researchers at McGill University and DuPont Canada propose to work together to elucidate the mechanisms by which thuricin 17 exerts its effects, and to determine its effectiveness as an input for Canadian crop production systems. We will determine the receptor for thuricin 17, establish the pattern of plant hormonal and physiological responses and determine the agronomic effectiveness of thuricin 17. In addition, we will conduct a systematic search for other bacteria, like the NEB17 strain of Bacillus thuringiensis that produces thuricin 17, that promote plant growth and produce plant growth promoting signals like thuricin 17. As fossil fuel reserves are depleted we are now looking to plants to produce not only the food, feed and fibre of the past, but also fuel. Given the combination of food supply (tied to population growth), energy and climate change challenges that we now face, there is an urgent requirement for the development of innovations and technologies that enhance crop productivity while reducing the economic and energy inputs into crop production.