Research
Areas
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Research
Areas
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Genetics
of Plant-Microbe Interactions
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FACULTY NAME |
RESEARCH DESCRIPTION |
| Richard Allison | molecular biology of plant viruses; virus evolution |
| Helmut Bertrand | mitochondrial basis of hypovirulence in plant pathogenic fungi |
| Rebecca Grumet | molecular genetics of virus-host interactions |
| Dennis Fulbright | attenuation of virulence in fungal plant pathogens; bacterial plant pathogens |
| L Patrick Hart | Bypassing animals in the production of antibodies through expression in plants and its impact on the host-pathogen interaction |
| Sheng Yang He | molecular genetics of plant-pathogen interactions |
| George Sundin | Molecular genetics of plant-bacterial interactions |
| Frances Trail | developmental genetics and physiology of fungal plant pathogen |
| Jonathan Walton | molecular plant pathology, especially mechanisms of virulence |
Plants
and microbes display a complex set of interactions that can range from
symbiosis to disease. The outcome of interactions between plants and
microbes is dependent on initial sensing of the other organism via exchange
of molecular signals, and a subsequent cascade of signaling and modified
gene expression in both organisms. Genetics Faculty at MSU conduct research
into the mechanism of signaling between plants and microbes, and the
genetic basis for host specificity. Specific questions involve investigations
into how microbes influence gene expression in plants, what is the basis
for disease resistance vs. susceptibility, and the factors determining
pathogen virulence and host defense. The pathogens being studied include
viruses, bacteria, and fungi. Plant hosts range from model species (e.g,
Arabidopsis), to crop plants, to trees. Studies of host-pathogen interactions
have provided novel insights into fundamental host processes, examining
questions of co-evolution, and addressing factors influencing crop productivity.