Biological Chemistry Department, Chemical Science School, National University of Cordoba, Haya de la Torre s/n University Campus, 5000 Cordoba, Argentina.
Molecular features of plant responses induced by the attack of microbial pathogens
Plants counteract the attack of the majority of microbial pathogens by triggering complex sets of defenses early upon infection. However, under particular circumstances, pathogens are able to circumvent host defenses and reproduce on susceptible hosts. The molecular mechanism underlying plant disease resistance or susceptibility are largely unknown. To gain insight into the plant genes affecting resistance or susceptibility, we characterize novel features of the responses induced by the model plant Arabidopsis thaliana against the attack of bacterial or fungal pathogens. Our studies are particularly focused on the following responses: 1) Alterations in host chromatin structure induced upon bacterial infection; 2) Plant genome-wide expression profiling under infection by the obligate fungal pathogen Erysiphe cichoracearum ; 3) Metabolism of L-proline in plant tissues developing compatible and incompatible interactions with pathogens.
