Analyzing the molecular mechanisms of systemic acquired resistance

植物免疫受体识别侵染部位的微生物病原体，导致局部防御激活。局部免疫的诱导进一步触发了植物远端的二次防御反应，称为系统获得性抗性(SAR)，这种反应持续时间长，对广泛的病原菌有效。最近有研究表明，合成孔径雷达需要N-羟基脂肪醇酸(NHP)。在病原菌侵染过程中，NHP生物合成基因的表达和NHP的产生受到强烈诱导。阻断NHP的生物合成会导致SAR严重受损，但对局部抗病能力的影响很小，表明NHP在远距离信号转导中起主要作用。通过不同的植物谱系可以发现参与建立SAR的蛋白质，使拟南芥成为研究SAR的完美模型。我们研究计划的长期目标是了解SAR的分子机制。在接下来的五年里，我们将结合分子遗传学、基因组学和生物化学的方法来鉴定与NHP生物合成有关的其他蛋白质、NHP生物合成的调控成分以及参与NHP感知和信号转导的信号成分。拟议的研究将使人们更好地了解特区是如何建立的。所获得的知识将有助于制定管理植物病害的新战略。研究中使用的多学科方法也为研究生、博士后研究员和本科生提供了极好的培训机会。

Recognition of microbial pathogens at the infection site by plant immune receptors leads to local defense activation. Induction of local immunity further triggers a secondary defense response in the distal parts of plants termed systemic acquired resistance (SAR), which is long lasting and effective against a broad spectrum of pathogens. N-hydroxypipecolic acid (NHP) was recently shown to be required for SAR. During pathogen infection, the expression of NHP biosynthetic genes and production of NHP are strongly induced. Blocking NHP biosynthesis results in severely compromised SAR, but only has minor effects on local disease resistance, suggesting that NHP plays a main role in long-distance signaling. Proteins involved in establishing SAR can be found through different plant lineages, making Arabidopsis a perfect model to study SAR. The long-term goal of our research program is to understand the molecular mechanisms of SAR. For the next five years, we are going to use a combination of molecular genetic, genomic and biochemical approaches to identify additional proteins involved in NHP biosynthesis, regulatory components of NHP biosynthesis, and signaling components involved in NHP perception and signal transduction in Arabidopsis. The proposed research will lead to better understanding of how SAR is established. The knowledge obtained will contribute to the development of new strategies to manage plant diseases. The multidisciplinary approaches used in the research also provides superb training opportunities for graduate students, postdoctoral fellows and undergraduate students.