Structure, function and pathogenicity mechanism of a potato late blight effector that localizes to the host cell nucleus

• Antragsteller: Dr. Sebastian Schornack
• Fachliche Zuordnung: Organismische Interaktionen, chemische Ökologie und Mikrobiome pflanzlicher Systeme
• Förderung: Förderung von 2008 bis 2012
• Projektkennung: Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft (DFG) - Projektnummer 104816130

It is well established that bacterial pathogens secrete effector proteins that enter the host cytoplasm. However, there is now emerging evidence that filamentous pathogens also deliver effectors to the host cytoplasm. For instance, oomycete plant pathogens, such as the causal agent of potato late blight, Phytophthora infestans, secrete RXLR-type effectors that were shown to translocate inside host cells where they modulate plant immunity. Recent availability of five oomycete genome sequences enabled the prediction of genome-wide catalogs of RXLR effector genes.P. infestans Nuk10 is a RXLR effector that translocates to the host cell nucleus. This project aims to elucidate the function of Nuk10 inside plant cells and how it contributes to virulence. I will exploit data obtained from gene expression profiling methods to identify elements of a Nuk10 regulon. I will study the function of differentially expressed host genes by silencing, overexpression and promoter-reporter gene fusions. I will identify potential DNA-binding of Nuk10 by chromatin-immunoprecipitation and electromobility shift assays. To identify protein targets of Nuk10, I will apply yeast two-hybrid and validate the data by coimmunoprecipitation. To characterize functional domains of Nuk10, I will combine studies of natural variation in P. infestans strains with mutagenesis of Nuk10.This project ultimately will clarify whether Nuk10 binds to DNA or interacts with plant proteins to manipulate the host transcriptome resulting in a comprehensive understanding of the mechanism of action of an oomycete effector.

• DFG-Verfahren: Forschungsstipendien
• Internationaler Bezug: Großbritannien
• Gastgeber: Professor Sophien Kamoun, Ph.D.