Microbial pathogen effectors modulate plant development and plant-insect interactions

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• Dr Saskia A. Hogenhout, Department of Disease and Stress Biology, The John Innes Centre, Norwich Research Park
• Wednesday 03 April 2013, 14:00-15:00
• The Sainsbury Laboratory Auditorium.

If you have a question about this talk, please contact Helen Mawdsley.

One of the most spectacular phenomena in biology is the complete hijacking of hosts by pathogens such that hosts become ‘zombies’ destined to maximize pathogen survival. Phytoplasmas induce dramatic changes in plant development, including proliferation of stems (witches’ brooms) and the reversion of flowers into leafy structures. These bacterial pathogens produce small virulence proteins (effectors) that promote the degradation of TCP and MADS -box transcription factors in plants resulting in altered leaf development, reduced jasmonate (JA) synthesis and the conversion of flowers into leaves. Both effectors promote bacterial growth and insect vector colonization. This is important, because phytoplasmas depend on insect vectors for transmission to a diverse range of plant species. Thus, bacterial effectors can reach beyond the host-pathogen interface to affect a third organism in a biological interaction.

This talk is part of the Sainsbury Laboratory Seminars series.

This talk is included in these lists:

• Biology
• CambPlants Hub
• Cambridge Global Food Security
• Cambridge Global Food Security
• Cambridge Infectious Diseases
• PhD
• Sainsbury Laboratory Seminars
• The Sainsbury Laboratory Auditorium

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