Understanding the function of effector proteins used by fungal symbionts to activate beneficial plant pathways

该项目的重点是培育抗逆境的玉米和大豆作物。我们方法的新颖性和创新点是利用真菌共生菌Serendibita dica来激活所有主要作物对广泛的非生物(如干旱、盐分)胁迫和疾病的抗性。在植物定植过程中，该植物会释放蛋白质(称为效应器)。这些效应器与植物蛋白相互作用，重新编程调节植物抗逆性的途径。我们处于独特的地位，因为我们已经批准了一些对植物逆境抗性途径进行重新编程的印度链霉效应子的功能。与巴斯夫一起，我们将验证以印度链霉菌效应器为靶标的植物蛋白的特定功能，以增强玉米和大豆对盐和干旱胁迫以及疾病的抗逆性。其最终目的是应用这一知识培育出对非生物胁迫和疾病具有更高抗性的玉米和大豆优良品种。

The focus of this project is generating stress-resilient maize and soybean crops. The novelty and innovation of our approach is the exploitation of the fungal symbiont Serendipita indica to activate resistance in all major crops against a broad spectrum of abiotic (e.g. drought, salt) stresses and diseases. S. indica releases proteins (termed effectors) during plant colonisation. These effectors interact with plant proteins to reprogram plant pathways regulating plant stress resistance. We are in a unique position as we have approved the function of a number of S. indica effectors that reprogram plant stress resistance pathways. Together with BASF, we will validate the specific function of plant proteins targeted by S. indica effector to enhance stress resilience against salt and drought stress as well as diseases in maize and soybean. The ultimate aims is to apply this knowledge to generate elite maize and soybean cultivars with higher resistance against abiotic stresses and diseases.