Description du projet
Les stratégies parasitaires contre différents hôtes
Les interactions entre agents pathogènes et hôtes sont complexes et déterminent les réponses immunitaires contre l’infection. Le projet NemHostRangeParadox, financé par l’UE, se concentrera sur Meloidogyne incognita, un nématode phytoparasite connu pour sa capacité à coloniser plus de 3 000 espèces végétales différentes. Les chercheurs étudieront l’hypothèse selon laquelle ce parasite modifie son répertoire d’effecteurs immunitaires en fonction de l’hôte. À cette fin, ils analyseront l’expression génétique des nématodes et des plantes pour identifier les gènes conservés ou exprimés de manière différente dans diverses espèces. Les résultats permettront d’identifier les profils d’expression et de comprendre comment ce nématode est capable d’infecter un si large éventail d’hôtes.
Objectif
The root-knot nematode (Meloidogyne incognita) is an obligate biotrophic pathogen with a remarkable ability to deliver “effector” molecules into its host plant, allowing it to reproducibly and exquisitely alter plant immunity, development, and physiology. Paradoxically, this nematode also has the widest host range of any obligate biotroph: parasitizing more than 3,000 different species. I hypothesize that the polyploid nature of its genome allows it to harbor an “effector” repertoire that not only allows for this broad host range, but its differentially deployed across its host range. To address this hypothesis, we have carefully pre-selected plant species across the botanical orders covering the main groups across the phylum. We will infect each species with M. incognita and, in a “trans-kingdom linked transcriptome” we will analysed nematode gene expression, and plant gene expression, at the same time in each susceptible interaction. These data will allow us to determine: 1) Is there a core set of effectors that are invariantly deployed, independent of host, and/or are subsets “chosen” for particular hosts or groups of hosts?; 2) Are there conserved plant genes manipulated by M. incognita during the infection?; and 3) Finally, are some plant or nematode genes required for specific interactions or group of interactions? These data will allow us to address a long-standing question in the field, and I believe understanding how M. incognita can infect such a broad host range may be a key to future control.
Champ scientifique
Mots‑clés
Programme(s)
Régime de financement
MSCA-IF - Marie Skłodowska-Curie Individual Fellowships (IF)Coordinateur
CB2 1TN Cambridge
Royaume-Uni