Course Description
Principles of physiology and genetics of parasitism and disease resistance. Emphasis is placed upon how the genetic basis for host-pathogen compatibility and incompatibility is related to structural, physiological, and biochemical responses in diseased plants and to mechanisms of resistance.
Athena Title
HOST-PATH INTERACT
Prerequisite
[PATH 3530-3530L and (BCMB 6000 or PBIO(CRSS)(BIOL) 4500/6500)] or permission of department
Semester Course Offered
Offered spring
Grading System
A - F (Traditional)
Course Objectives
At the end of the course, students are expected to have: - an understanding of the major terms and concepts in plant-pathogen interactions and an appreciation of the important unanswered questions in this field - factual knowledge of the most important pathogen traits that contribute to disease and plant traits that contribute to resistance - a better understanding of genetic and molecular methods and experimental approaches used to investigate plant-pathogen interactions - learned strategies for planing and writing a research grant proposal
Topical Outline
Course introduction, key concepts and terms Bacterial pathogenesis - Current research with Ralstonia solanacearum - Agrobacterium tumefaciens: molecular pathogenesis and plant transformation - Two-way communication in Rhizobium-plant interactions - Plant cell wall degrading enzymes in disease - Hrp gene clusters and type III protein secretion Fungal pathogenesis - Current research with Ustilago maydis, the corn smut pathogen - Effector molecules secreted by pathogens and the gene-for-gene hypothesis - Activities of pathogenic fungi outside the host (prepenetration and penetration) - Phytotoxins – structure, mode of action, and roles in pathogenesis Introduction to viral pathogenesis; Current research in plant pathogenic viruses Introduction to plant pathogenic nematodes; Current research on nematode secretions Plant resistance - Phytoanticipins – preexisting defense mechanisms - Resistance genes: structure and function - The hypersensitive response and programed plant cell death - Systemic Acquired Resistance, Induced Systemic Resistance - Induced antimicrobial compounds (phytoalexin) and structural defenses Converting knowledge of pathogenesis into methods of disease control Social and ethical issues of using transgenic plants for disease control – class discussion
Syllabus