| Project Detail |
Uncovering plant immunity to strengthen crop protection Plant diseases are a serious threat to global agriculture, causing crop losses that impact food supply, economies and communities worldwide. Understanding how plants defend themselves against these diseases is essential for creating sustainable farming methods. Recent research shows that plants have two layers of immunity: a surface layer that detects threats and an internal layer that strengthens defences. Together, these systems offer a powerful, but complex, line of protection. Supported by the Marie Sklodowska-Curie Actions programme, the DynaCapETI project will study the genetic regulation of plant defences. The project aims to uncover new ways to protect crops and improve food security, using advanced tools in genetics, biochemistry and bioinformatics. Plant diseases critically impact global agriculture, economies, and society, underscoring the imperative for deeper insights into plant disease resistance and sustainable protective strategies. Recent pivotal findings from my host lab reveal a synergistic enhancement between plant cell-surface and intracellular immune systems. These findings suggest a complex system where intracellular immunity intensifies cell-surface immunity via sophisticated defense gene regulation. My central goal is to discern the intricate transcriptional and translational regulations of defense genes in plant immunity and to uncover how pathogenic effectors might potentially disrupt these processes during the dynamic dance of plant-microbe co-evolution. I will be addressing three objectives: 1) the crucial role of the NAD+ cap in defense gene dynamics; 2) the intricate translational dynamics of defense genes during immune responses; and 3) how pathogens cunningly alter mRNA decapping to weaken plant defenses. Leveraging advanced sequencing tools, I am poised to comprehensively map and profile defense gene regulation during effector-triggered immunity, known as intracellular immunity. This engages multiple disciplines including biochemistry, genetics, molecular biology, and bioinformatics. I aim to probe the roles of plant NAD-RNA, Nudix hydrolases, and Nudix effectors in defense gene modulation. The overarching outcome is to elucidate the intricate gene regulation framework of intracellular immunity, placing emphasis on the dual layers of plant immunity, and thereby redefining our grasp of pathogenic effector dynamics. This project will not only enrich my academic insights into plant immunity but will also refine my research skills, promise valuable networking and personal growth in project leadership, pave the way for publication opportunities, and significantly bolster my professional trajectory. Furthermore, it has great potential to make a meaningful contribution to global food security. |
