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Abstract
Persistent nematode infections are a major threat to important food crops. These round worms manipulate plant cell morphology and physiology to establish sophisticated feeding structures. Remarkably, they are able to escape detection by the plant immune system, despite their size and the damage they cause to the host upon infection. Modifications to plant cells are largely attributed to the activity of nematode secreted effectors. It has been recently shown that members of the SPRYSEC effector family from potato cyst nematodes selectively supress host cell death and disease resistance mediated by plant immune receptors. We aim to unravel the, as of yet, unknown molecular mechanism behind immune suppression by these effectors. Evidence supports a model where SPRYSECs function as specificity modifiers of host ubiquitin complexes for nematode-induced proteasomal degradation of host immune receptors. Experiments with protein-protein interaction methods, directed mutagenesis and protein ubiquitination assays among other techniques, will enable us to substantiate our model. If indeed the diverse SPRYSEC effector family functions as versatile suppressors of immunity, the expansion of this family may reflect adaptations to diversification of plant immune receptors. Therefore our results may provide insight into the basis for virulence of nematodes in plants.
Original language | English |
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Title of host publication | Proceedings of 2nd Annual Conference of the SUSTAIN Action COST FA 1208 Pathogen-informed strategies for sustainable broad-spectrum crop resistance |
Pages | 40-40 |
Publication status | Published - 2014 |
Event | 2nd Annual Conference of the SUSTAIN Action, Zakopane, Poland - Duration: 15 Oct 2014 → 17 Oct 2014 |
Conference/symposium
Conference/symposium | 2nd Annual Conference of the SUSTAIN Action, Zakopane, Poland |
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Period | 15/10/14 → 17/10/14 |
Fingerprint
Dive into the research topics of 'Elucidating the mechanism of immune suppression by SPRYSEC effectors from potato cyst nematodes'. Together they form a unique fingerprint.Projects
- 1 Finished
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Unravelling the mechanism underlying the suppression and activation of R gene mediated resistance to potato cyst nematodes by highly similar effectors
Diaz Granados Munoz, A. (PhD candidate), Smant, G. (Promotor) & Goverse, A. (Co-promotor)
15/02/14 → 24/10/19
Project: PhD