B2 Extracellular RNAs in vascular wilt diseases
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Pathogens inducing vascular wilts are among the most destructive plant threads. The mostly soil-borne oomycetes, bacteria, or fungi colonize the water-conducting xylem vessels what leads to impairment of water supply, wilting, and eventually plant death. The molecular basis underlying vascular wilt diseases and host defense reactions is not well understood, mainly because the pathogens reside in the interior of their host plants and are not easy to access. In this project we want to focus mainly on the Brassica napus - Verticillium longisporum interaction as a research system, because it allows assessing the plant vasculature as the host-fungus battleground. In addition, effects of Xylella fastidiosa and V. longisporum infection on the apoplastic response in Arabidopsis will be compared. The goal of this strategy is to elucidate the molecular mechanism of the exchange of extracellular RNA – RBP complexes in the interaction between Brassicaceae and vascular wilt pathogens. The research is centered around the questions (a) how extracellular RNA exchange between plant host and vascular wilt pathogens is involved in the infection process, (b) how extracellular RNAs and RNA-RBP complexes can be targeted and exchanged between hosts and pathogens. Our studies will reveal if extracellular RNAs and RNA-RBP complexes play a role in the interaction of Brassicaceae plants with a fungal and a bacterial vascular wilt pathogen. Combined with the insights from the other projects in the consortium, we strive for finding novel ways to increase plant resistance.