Signaling at the plant-microbe interface:
pathogen-induced modulation of the host plasma membrane
Upon infection by pathogens plant processes are manipulated to facilitate in pathogen proliferation. Although much research is done to elucidate defense mechanisms in plants it is unknown how pathogens manipulate plants to actively support pathogen growth. We think that manipulation of processes ongoing at the host-pathogen interface is essential. Therefore identification of proteins present at the host-pathogen interface will give us better insight in which processes are actually manipulated. Knowing which proteins are present at the interface, and proteins specifically present at the host-pathogen interface in particular, will enable us to elucidate which processes and pathways are essential for pathogen-growth in planta.
In our lab we study the
interaction between the weed Arabidopsis thaliana and the oomycete
Hyaloperonospora parasitica. Upon infection H. parasitica forms
specialized feeding structures called haustoria. These haustoria are localized
between the cell wall and plasma membrane of the plant cell while the other
parts of the pathogen remain localized in the intercellular space between the
plant cells. The haustoria are the only location where the pathogen
establishes intimate contact with the host cell plasma membrane (PM) (figure).
Previous studies in our lab have shown that the host PM surrounding the
haustorium, the so-called extrahaustorial membrane (EHM), is fundamentally
different in structure and protein content from the regular host PM, with
which it is continuous (data not shown).
To identify proteins specifically present at the extrahaustorial membrane (EHM), and membrane and secreted proteins which are differentially regulated during infection two different strategies are applied:
-
A genomic approach to identify A. thaliana
transcripts encoding for membrane and secreted proteins which are
differentially regulated during infection with H. parasitica.
More details: Mark de Jong - A proteomic approach to identify proteins:
1) present in the extrahaustorial membrane (EHM).
2) secreted during infection of A. thaliana by compatible and incompatible isolates of H. parasitica.
3) present at the plasma membrane of A. thaliana infected with the bacterium Pseudomonas syringae.
More details: Nico Boot
This research is funded by a VIDI-grant awarded to Dr. Guido van den Ackerveken.
Other research themes:
