The role of camalexin in interaction with bacteria in the root

This project will be supervised by Stanislav Kopriva at the University of Cologne

Abstract:

The phytoalexin camalexin belongs to most interesting metabolites that plants use to interact with microbes. Initially discovered as part of plant immune response against pathogens, its metabolism and function in Arabidopsis leaves has been well established. We have shown that camalexin exuded from the roots affects the interaction of Arabidopsis plants with individual bacterial strains as well as the microbiome function. We have identified a gene affecting camalexin synthesis and exudation and the outcome of cocultivations with bacteria. Interestingly, the corresponding protein is specifically localized in endoplasmic reticulum of phloem companion cells in the roots. In this project we aim to dissect the coordination between shoots and roots in controlling camalexin exudation in response to pathogenic and commensal bacteria. In addition, we aim to determine the mechanism by which camalexin affects microbial function in the different bacterial strains. We will use a number of biochemical methods to identify bacterial proteins interacting with camalexin and will capitalise on numerous omics analyses performed in the laboratory to determine the regulatory network of camalexin exudation in the roots.

Group homepage: https://ag-kopriva.botanik.uni-koeln.de/

Key publication: Koprivova A, Schuck S, Jacoby RP, Klinkhammer I, Welter B, Leson L, Martyn A, Nauen J, Grabenhorst N, Mandelkow JF, Zuccaro A, Zeier J, Kopriva S. Root-specific camalexin biosynthesis controls the plant growth-promoting effects of multiple bacterial strains. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A. 2019 Jul 30;116(31):15735-15744. https://doi.org/10.1073/pnas.1818604116