Dissecting signaling pathways mediated by plant immune receptors

Plants utilize their sophisticated innate immune system to fight against pathogens. They have abundant immune receptors to detect the pathogen attack and initiate defense. However, the molecular mechanisms of how these receptors signal downstream of pathogen recognition are largely unknown. Recently, modern metabolomics approach has been developed that allows for unbiased identification of substrates and products of uncharacterized enzymes. This technology opens new avenues of plant immunity research as a portion of plant immune receptors exhibit enzymatic activity upon pathogen recognition. My proposed research project will reveal the substrate and products of these receptors and elucidate how the molecules activate the downstream signaling and defense. My research into the signaling pathways of the immune receptors will contribute to the understanding of the complicated plant immune signaling network.

Faculty Supervisor:

Xin Li

Student:

Partner:

Georg-August-Universität Göttingen

Discipline:

Life Sciences

Sector:

Education

University:

The University of British Columbia

Program: