Molecular and ecological investigations into the infection process of Eurychasma dicksonii on brown algae

迪氏广斑藻侵染褐藻过程的分子和生态学研究

基本信息

批准号：
NE/F012578/1
负责人：
Pieter Van West
金额：
$ 32.71万
依托单位：
University of Aberdeen
依托单位国家：
英国
项目类别：
Research Grant
财政年份：
2008
资助国家：
英国
起止时间：
2008 至无数据
项目状态：
已结题

来源：
https://gtr.ukri.org/projects?ref=NE%2FF012578%2F1
关键词：
Molecular ecological investigations into infection

项目摘要

Many of the most devastating agricultural and aquacultural pathogens belong to the group of oomycetes. In addition, many oomycetes seriously impact upon the ecology of natural populations. In coastal marine ecosystems, the oomycete Eurychasma dicksonii is thought to contribute to shaping populations of brown algae. It not only has the largest reported host range among marine pathogens - infecting virtually every brown algal species tested so far, but it is also the most prevalent eukaryotic pathogen in natural brown macroalgal populations. Remarkably, virtually nothing is known about many fundamental aspects of pathogenicity, biology, epidemiology, and ecology of E. dicksonii. As part of the Oceans 2025 core strategic program, we are currently developing tools to study the impact of E. dicksonii epidemics on algal populations and coastal ecosystems. However, many unresolved biological questions are of critical importance to underpin this undertaking. Understanding why E. dicksonii has such a wide host-range, what makes this pathogen so successful, and what pathogenicity determinants and infection strategies it uses to infect its hosts will shed light on how natural brown algal populations are affected by epidemic outbreaks of E. dicksonii, and how this pathogen might influence their genetic structure. This application aims to address these issues in more detail. Identified determinants of host specificity will further be correlated to the genetic and biogeographical background of the pathogen from sites around the world. At the completion of this study, we expect to demonstrate that E. dicksonii is secreting effector molecules that may be translocated into the host cells, and that are under diversifying selection. We hope to generate precise hypotheses on their role in the biotrophic interaction of E. dicksonii with its hosts, as well as its impact on natural brown algal populations.

许多最具破坏性的农业和水产养殖病原体都属于Oomycetes群。此外，许多卵菌对自然种群的生态严重影响。在沿海海洋生态系统中，人们认为卵菌Eurychasma Dicksonii有助于塑造棕色藻类的种群。它不仅在海洋病原体中报告了最大的宿主范围 - 几乎感染了迄今为止测试的每种棕色藻类物种，而且也是天然棕色宏观藻类种群中最普遍的真核生物病原体。值得注意的是，关于致病性，生物学，流行病学和E. dicksonii的生态学的许多基本方面几乎一无所知。作为2025年海洋核心战略计划的一部分，我们目前正在开发工具来研究E. dicksonii流行病对藻类人群和沿海生态系统的影响。但是，许多未解决的生物学问题对于基础这项工作至关重要。了解为什么E. dicksonii具有如此广泛的宿主范围，是什么使这种病原体如此成功，以及它用来感染其宿主的致病性决定因素和感染策略将阐明天然棕色藻类种群如何受到E. dicksonii流行病的影响，以及这种病原体如何影响其遗传结构。该应用程序旨在更详细地解决这些问题。确定的宿主特异性决定因素将进一步与世界各地的病原体的遗传和生物地理背景相关。在这项研究完成时，我们希望E. dicksonii分泌效应子分子，可以将其转移到宿主细胞中，并且选择多样化。我们希望对它们在E. dicksonii与宿主的生物营养相互作用中的作用以及对天然棕色藻类种群的影响产生精确的假设。