Investigating the molecular and cellular basis for immunity-induced growth inhibition in Arabidopsis thaliana and crop plants

对作物的生物胁迫可导致对作物产量的双重打击：病原活性对植物的直接影响，以及植物自身免疫诱导的生长抑制的有害影响。了解这种生长免疫拮抗的细胞和分子基础是克服它以提高生物胁迫下作物产量的重要的第一步。人们普遍认为，这是一个重要的目标，有助于确保到2050年预计将居住在地球上的90亿人口的粮食安全，特别是考虑到气候变化可能使作物植物面临更广泛的生物和非生物压力。本项目的总体目标是阐明这种生长免疫拮抗在根中的细胞和分子基础，包括互惠真菌Piriformospora (=Serendipita) indica的抑制作用，特别是通过鉴定生物胁迫下生长的分子抑制剂，研究根生长调节机制的参与，并将研究结果从拟南芥转化为作物物种。我们将利用一系列最先进的技术和方法，包括RNAseq，生物信息学和共聚焦激光扫描显微镜。

Biotic stresses on crops can result in a double blow to crop yield: the direct impact of pathogenic activity on the plant, but also, significantly, the detrimental effect of the plant's own immunity-induced growth inhibition. Understanding the cellular and molecular basis for this growth-immunity antagonism is an essential first step to overcoming it in order to increase crop yield under biotic stress. This is widely regarded as an essential goal to assist in efforts to ensure food security for the 9 billion people projected to occupy the planet by 2050, especially in light of climate change which is likely to expose crop plants to a wider variety of biotic and abiotic stresses.The overall aim of this project is to elucidate the cellular and molecular basis of this growth-immunity antagonism in roots, including its suppression by the mutualistic fungus Piriformospora (=Serendipita) indica, specifically by identifying the molecular inhibitors of growth under biotic stress, investigating the involvement of root growth regulatory mechanisms, and translating the findings of this research from Arabidopsis thaliana into crop species. We will be utilising a range of state-of-the-art technologies and approaches, including RNAseq, bioinformatics and confocal laser scanning microscopy.