Key Plant Immune Response in Fight Against Bacteria

Researchers at the Cristopher S. Bond Life Sciences Center under the leadership of Walter Gassman studied how plants get immunity to diseases, using the model plant Arabidopsis. They discovered the Susceptibility 1 (EDS1) protein which play a key role in the plant's defense as well as in the recognition of the pathogen. During pathogen attack, resistant plants have immune receptors that guard the EDS1, detect the invasion and trigger an alarm that leads to a vigorous plant defense response.

"If we understand the deeper level of plant immunity, we can develop a smarter way of breeding plants that are generally resistant to devastating diseases," Gassmann said. Further study on these immune receptors are needed to determine how to add the alarm response to plants that do not contain the protein or amplify the response in plants that have the protein. Dr. Gassman believes that this can be obtained through genetic modification of plants, which he thinks is better than the use of fungicides.

For more details, view https://nbsubscribe.missouri.edu/news-releases/2011/1208-mu-researchers-identify-key-plant-immune-response-in-fight-against-bacteria/