疫霉菌Avr3a家族效应蛋白靶向CAD7抑制植物免疫的机制研究

品种抗病性丧失问题是作物可持续生产的重要限制因素。业已明确分泌自病菌的效应蛋白在植物-病原互作和病害流行中起关键作用，在大多情况下作为典型的毒性因子促进病菌侵染。本申请项目在前期研究鉴定获得负调控植物免疫的肉桂醇脱氢酶基因CAD7以及疫霉菌致病关键的Avr3a家族效应蛋白多个成员均靶向其编码蛋白的基础上，研究疫霉菌效应蛋白通过靶向CAD7抑制植物免疫的机制，除了通过经典的分子生物学、细胞生物学和遗传学方法，还利用结构生物学、计算机模拟、蛋白质质谱分析、生物化学以及代谢组学方法，解析Avr3a家族效应蛋白靶向CAD7的机制，探索其互作的生物化学基础，解析CAD7负调控植物免疫的机制。研究结果有助于全面认识疫霉菌的致病机理以及CAD7在植物免疫中的作用，为探索和利用植物新型抗病途径和抗病基因资源奠定基础。

Loss of genotype-specific disease resistance has been a leading issue that threatens sustainable crop production. It’s well documented that effectors secreted by pathogens play a vital role in plant-pathogen interaction and disease development. In this research, we employ multiple inter-disciplinary approaches, including molecular biology, cell biology, genetics, structural biology, computing-based simulation, biochemical and metabolomic analysis, to understand molecular interaction of CAD7 (cinnamyl alcohol dehydrogenase7) with multiple Avr3a family effectors encoded by Phytophthora pathogens, to investigate potential biochemical basis of their interaction, and to reveal the role and underlying mechanisms of CAD7 in plant immunity. CAD7 was identified to be a negative regulator of plant immunity and its targeting by multiple Avr3a effectors was found in our previous research. Results from this proposed research is expected to improve understanding of plant infection by Phytophthora pathogens and to develop novel strategies for enhancing disease resistance in plants.