| title: |
Regulation of virulence factors expression in bacterial pathogen Erwinia carotovora and their role in eliciting plant defence in the early stages of plant -pathogen interaction |
| reg no: |
ETF5253 |
| project type: |
Estonian Science Foundation research grant |
| subject: |
1.6. Physical, Analytical and Inorganic Chemistry
|
| status: |
completed |
| institution: |
University of Tartu |
| head of project: |
Andres Mäe |
| duration: |
01.01.2002 - 31.12.2005 |
| description: |
We are studying the interaction between the nonspecific bacterial phytopathogen Erwinia carotovora subsp. carotovora (Ecc) and host plant. It has a wide host range, attacking a number of plant species if the conditions are favorabble. The virulence of this pathogen is dependent on the production of a large arsenal of plant cell wall-degrading enzymes also called virulence factors. Many of the virulence factors appear to play dual role in Erwinia-plant interaction in addition to being virulence factors they also induce plant defence responses. The importance of plant cell wall-degrading enzymes production to the virulence of Ecc and its very tight regulation encouraged us to look for novel virulence factors and for the possible interaction between the different regulatory systems controlling their expression. The resistance to pathogen infection is usually characterized by very rapid activation of defence genes in plant cell. The focus of this initiative will be on characterization of the unknown virulence factors of Ecc, characterization of their regulation and their role in induction plant defence response.To be able to device new stradegies for the control of plant pathogens and to develop disease resistant crop plants, understanding of the molecular mechanisms of plant-pathogen interaction is a prerequisite. For these studies Erwinia-plant interaction provides an excellent model system for studies of plant respons to nonspecific pathogens. |