Under attack by a cereal killer: deciphering host responses (SAUNDERSG15DTP)

Wheat yellow rust disease, caused by the fungus Puccinia striiformis f. sp tritici (PST), is an historical and continuing threat to wheat production worldwide. Wheat is a critical staple providing 20% of the calories consumed by humankind. However, PST is not only a serious threat to wheat but also to triticale, which is another economically important crop species. The project aims to identify commonalities and differences in the host proteins that are manipulated by this pathogen. The devastating impact of this disease gives a deep sense of urgency to improve our understanding of host processes manipulated by PST to improve the longevity of newly deployed resistant cultivars.

Plants respond to pathogen invasion in various ways depending on the genetic background of both the plant and invading pathogen. During early invasion, plants perceive signatures of attack that activate basal immune responses. In response, pathogens deliver proteins called effectors to their hosts to suppress plant defense circuitry and enable parasitic infection. In certain resistant hosts, plant immune receptors may recognize some of these effector proteins and mount processes to restrict pathogen colonization. This activates a complex network of regulatory genes that coordinate the host immune response. However, for PST-infected plants the degree of host specificity in these responses is not known. Studying host-specific plant gene expression profiles provides the means to identify common and host-specific responses.

The student will be strategically positioned within a multidisciplinary research group at The Genome Analysis Centre and John Innes Centre to provide unique training opportunities in next-generation sequence analysis, molecular biology, plant-pathology and wheat genetics.

This project has been shortlisted for funding by the Norwich Biosciences Doctoral Training Partnership (NRPDTP). Shortlisted applicants will be interviewed as part of the studentship competition. Candidates will be interviewed on either the 13th, 14th or 15th January 2015.
The Norwich Biosciences Doctoral Training Partnership (NRPDTP) offers postgraduates the opportunity to undertake a 4 year research project whilst enhancing professional development and research skills through a comprehensive training programme. You will join a vibrant community of world-leading researchers. All NRPDTP students undertake a three months professional internship (PIPS) during their study. The internship offers exciting and invaluable work experience designed to enhance professional development. Full support and advice will be provided by our Professional Internship team. Students with, or expecting to attain, at least an upper second class honours degree, or equivalent, are invited to apply.
Further information, visit our website: www.biodtp.norwichresearchpark.ac.uk