Working towards a better understanding of plant immune system

植物已经进化出复杂的防御机制，作为一种生存策略来抵御微生物病原体。植物免疫受体对病原体的识别导致下游信号级联反应的激活，从而不仅在受感染的组织中，而且在整个植物中产生对病原体的抗性。从过去的研究中，我们已经获得了一系列由三种不同类型的免疫受体介导的具有自激活抗性反应的非凡突变体。为了确定这些受体下游免疫所需的信号成分，我们设计并进行了遗传筛选，以寻找这些突变体的抑制因子。我们计划利用现代分子遗传学方法分离抑制基因，并详细研究其编码蛋白的功能。这些研究将有助于我们更好地理解这些免疫受体介导的免疫是如何被调节的。

Plants have evolved sophisticated defense mechanisms as a survival strategy to fend off microbial pathogens. Recognition of pathogens by plant immune receptors leads to activation of downstream signaling cascades resulting in resistance to pathogens not only in the infected tissue, but throughout the entire plant. From past research, we have obtained a series of extraordinary mutants with auto-activated resistance responses mediated by three different types of immune receptors. To identify signaling components required for immunity downstream of these receptors, we have designed and carried out genetic screens to search for suppressors of these mutants. We are planning to isolate the suppressor genes using modern molecular genetic approaches, and study in detail the functions of proteins encoded by them. The proposed research efforts will help us better understand how immunity mediated by these immune receptors is regulated.