Analysis of the Role of pH Regulation in the Secretion of Proteins and the Virulence of the Apoplast-Infecting Fungus Mycosphaerella Graminicola

pH 调节在蛋白分泌和质外体感染真菌禾本科球腔菌毒力中的作用分析

• 批准号: 0730703
• 负责人: Julie Zwiesler-Vollick
• 金额: $ 5万
• 依托单位: Lawrence Technological University
• 依托单位国家: 美国
• 项目类别: Standard Grant
• 财政年份: 2008
• 资助国家: 美国
• 起止时间: 2008-09-01 至 2009-08-31
• 项目状态: 已结题
• 来源: https://www.nsf.gov/awardsearch/showAward?AWD_ID=0730703&HistoricalAwards=false
• 关键词: Analysis; Role; pH; Regulation; Secretion

Fungi which infect plants represent both an economic threat and a useful system for the study of fundamental biologic processes. One simple mode of infection used by some fungal plant pathogens is the infection of the space between the cells of the leaf, the apoplast. Even though the infection mechanism is not complex, there are many questions which remain unanswered about how these fungi are able to enter the host, avoid detection, and gain nutrients, events which together comprise pathogenesis. The specific aim of this project is to determine the role that ambient pH signaling plays in the pathogenesis of an apoplast-infecting fungus (Mycosphaerella graminicola) on wheat. M. graminicola is an excellent pathogen for investigation because it exhibits two possible types of growth in culture (single celled and filamentous), two different phases of growth in its plant host (biotrophic (where plant cells are not damaged) and necrotrophic (where plant cells are damaged) and has a sequenced genome. Mutant fungi which lack components of the pH signaling cascade will be created and evaluated with respect to growth under various pH conditions and in plant hosts. The project will rely upon molecular, biochemical and genetic approaches. As a result, the role that pH is playing in influencing the infection process and how pH is sensed by M. graminicola will be understood. The project should provide information about a novel signaling mechanism in this fungus which may be more broadly applicable to other fungal plant pathogens. The broader impacts of this work also include providing research experiences for undergraduate students at Lawrence Technological University.

感染植物的真菌既是一种经济威胁，也是研究基本生物过程的有用系统。 一些真菌植物病原体使用的一种简单的感染模式是叶细胞之间的空间（质外体）的感染。 尽管感染机制并不复杂，但关于这些真菌如何进入宿主、逃避检测并获取营养，这些事件共同构成了发病机制，仍有许多问题尚未解答。 该项目的具体目的是确定环境 pH 信号在小麦质外体感染真菌（Mycosphaerella graminicola）发病机制中所起的作用。 M. graminicola 是一种极适合研究的病原体，因为它在培养物中表现出两种可能的生长类型（单细胞和丝状），在其植物宿主中具有两种不同的生长阶段（生物营养型（植物细胞未受损）和坏死营养型（植物细胞不受损））。将创建缺乏 pH 信号级联成分的突变真菌，并对其在不同 pH 条件下和植物宿主中的生长进行评估。因此，我们将了解 pH 在影响感染过程中的作用以及 M. graminicola 如何感知 pH 值，该项目应提供有关这种真菌的新信号机制的信息，该机制可能更广泛地适用于。这项工作的更广泛影响还包括为劳伦斯理工大学的本科生提供研究经验。