PostDoctoral Research Fellowships in Plant Biology

植物抵抗真菌致病入侵的能力通常涉及特定宿主和病原体基因型之间的相互作用。将分离出与菜豆特异性相互作用的大豆病原菌——带状肾小球（Glomerella cingulata）的基因。克隆基因的实验将解决宿主和病原体之间特异性识别的机制。这些基因将被用来测试它们的表达是否因暴露在植物中而诱导；如果是这样，将确定导致诱导的因素。针对这些基因编码的蛋白质产生的抗体将用于检测它们的存在和细胞定位。将进行实验以确定这些蛋白质是否是抗性宿主识别的主要信号，或者它们是否是释放被宿主识别的特定激发子的细胞壁降解酶。如果真菌蛋白是信号，它们将被用来检测植物受体。病原体及其宿主如何在遗传和代谢水平上相互作用的知识是基本的兴趣，但实际考虑也是巨大的。每年都有农作物因各种疾病而损失，只有了解疾病的基础，才能设计出合理的预防措施。

The ability of plants to resist pathogenic invasion by fungi often involves interactions between specific host and pathogen genotypes. Genes from the bean pathogen, Glomerella cingulata, that are responsible for specific interactions with Phaseolus vulgaris will be isolated. Experiments with the cloned genes will address the mechanisms responsible for specific recognition between host and pathogen. The genes will be used to test whether their expression is induced by exposure to plants; if so, factors responsible for induction will be identified. Antibodies made against proteins encoded by these genes will be used to detect their presence and cellular localization. Experiments will be performed to determine if these proteins are the primary signals for recognition by resistant hosts, or if they are cell- wall degrading enzymes that release specific elicitors that are recognized by the host. If the fungal proteins are the signals, they will be used to detect the plant receptors. Knowledge of how pathogens and their hosts interact on both the genetic and metabolic level is of basic interest but the practical considerations are also immense. Crops are lost each year to various diseases and only by understanding the basis of disease can rational preventatives be designed.