Secondary metabolism in plant pathogenic Streptomyces species

我实验室的研究重点是植物病原细菌疥疮链霉菌，它是全球马铃薯普通疮痂病（CS）的病原体。CS的特征在于在马铃薯块茎的表面上形成表面的、凸起的或凹陷的病变，并且这些病变降低了马铃薯作物的市场价值并导致种植者的显著经济损失。S.疥疮引起CS疾病主要是由于产生thaxtomin A，一种植物毒素，可直接促进宿主组织被S.感染期间的疥疮。此外，S.疥疮产生植物毒素N-冠脂酰-L-异亮氨酸（CFA-Ile），其可作为植物激素模拟物起作用以增强病原体定殖和植物宿主的感染。S.据认为，疥疮能够产生其他几种可能有助于宿主-病原体相互作用的小分子，尽管其中许多分子的身份和功能尚不清楚。这项研究将提供有关CFA-Ile和thaxtomin A植物毒素的生物合成和调控的新信息，并将揭示对一种以前未表征的小分子的性质和功能的新见解，该小分子预计由S.疥疮这些信息将使我们更好地了解S。疥疮能够引起疾病，以及我们如何开发更好的控制方法来管理这种疾病，这将有利于加拿大马铃薯种植者。此外，拟议的研究将提高我们对小分子在介导微生物和植物之间相互作用中的作用的理解。所描述的工作将导致高质量的培训本科生和研究生在现代技术在广泛的领域，包括微生物遗传学，蛋白质生物化学，小分子纯化和结构表征。此外，学员将有机会发展口头和书面沟通、项目管理和指导方面的技能。接受的培训将为学生在学术界，工业界或健康科学的各种职业道路做好准备，这将有利于加拿大社会。

Research in my lab focuses on the plant pathogenic bacterium Streptomyces scabies, which is a causative agent of potato common scab (CS) disease worldwide. CS is characterized by the formation of superficial, raised or pitted lesions on the surface of potato tubers, and these lesions reduce the market value of the potato crop and lead to significant economic losses for growers. The ability of S. scabies to cause CS disease is due primarily to the production of thaxtomin A, a plant toxin that may directly contribute to host tissue penetration by S. scabies during infection. In addition, S. scabies produces the plant toxin N-coronafacoyl-L-isoleucine (CFA-Ile), which may function as a plant hormone mimic in order to enhance pathogen colonization and infection of the plant host. S. scabies is thought to be able to produce several other small molecules that might contribute to host-pathogen interactions, though the identity and function of many of these molecules is unknown. This research will provide new information on the biosynthesis and regulation of the CFA-Ile and thaxtomin A plant toxins, and it will reveal new insights into the nature and function of a previously uncharacterized small molecule that is predicted to be made by S. scabies. Such information will allow us to better understand how S. scabies is able to cause disease and how we can develop better control methods for managing the disease, which will be beneficial to Canadian potato growers. In addition, the proposed research will enhance our understanding of the role of small molecules in mediating interactions between microorganisms and plants. The work described will lead to high quality training of undergraduate and graduate students in modern techniques in a broad range of areas, including microbial genetics, protein biochemistry, small molecule purification and structural characterization. In addition, trainees will have the opportunity to develop skills in oral and written communication, project management and mentorship. The training received will prepare students for a variety of career paths in academia, industry or the health sciences, which will be of benefit to Canadian society.