Untersuchung inkompatibler Arabidopsis thaliana-Botrytis cinerea Interaktionen zur Identifikation von pflanzlichen Reaktionen, die zu erhöhter Resistenz gegenüber dem Pathogen führen können.

• Antragstellerin: Dr. Julia Schumacher
• Fachliche Zuordnung: Organismische Interaktionen, chemische Ökologie und Mikrobiome pflanzlicher Systeme
• Förderung: Förderung von 2012 bis 2013
• Projektkennung: Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft (DFG) - Projektnummer 222121053

Botrytis cinerea is an aggressive fungal pathogen causing the rotting of plant material accompanied by the formation of grey conidiophores and conidia (grey mould disease) in more than 200 plant species worldwide, including a range of agronomically important crops such as grapevine and strawberry. The fungus uses sophisticated strategies to kill and later to decompose plant tissues. These include the formation of non-host-selective toxins, proteins showing necrotizing activities and secretion of cell wall-degrading enzymes. Host resistance to B. cinerea appears to be complex and is not well understood. Implicated processes are related to the regulation of cell death, plant hormone biosynthesis and signalling, and production of antifungal compounds. In the project, a set of less virulent B. cinerea mutants obtained either by targeted inactivation or insertional mutagenesis through Agrobacterium tumefaciens-mediated transformation will be used for the more detailed characterization of the fungus-host interaction using the model plant Arabidopsis for which various molecular tools and genotypes are available. Fungus-host combinations resulting in incompatible interactions (no or restricted infection) can be either due to a less virulent pathogen or a more resistant plant. Even though the experiments may reveal new interesting phenotypes for the B. cinerea mutants, the emphasis of the project will be on the plant responses triggered by the different mutants. Plant defense responses will be monitored throughout the interaction e.g. by performing microscopic analyses and detection of defense-related gene expression. Finally, genome-wide expression profiles of compatible and incompatible interactions will be compared to gain new insights into plant resistance mechanisms.

• DFG-Verfahren: Forschungsstipendien
• Internationaler Bezug: USA
• Gastgeber: Professor Tesfaye Mengiste, Ph.D.