About the Project
Global demand for food is rising and plant pathogens are one of a number of major threats to crop harvests. Plant pathogens produce effector proteins that remodel host cell processes for the benefit of the pathogen, resulting in disease. Interestingly, these same effectors can also be sensed by the plant’s immune system resulting in disease resistance. Many crops possess heavy metal-associated plant proteins (HPPs) and heavy metal-associated isoprenylated plant proteins (HIPPs). Recent studies in rice have shown that HPPs/HIPPs are targeted by effector proteins from the rice blast pathogen Magnaporthe oryzae. The HPPs/HIPPs are so-called as they have domains with homology to those known to bind metals in other families of proteins. Little is known about the function of HPPs/HIPPs, the importance of metal binding and their role in disease. This will be investigated in an interdisciplinary project using an array of biochemical, biophysical, structural, molecular biology, plant biology and bioinformatics techniques.
The student will be based in the lab of Prof Chris Dennison (Newcastle University). In order to study metal binding in this family of proteins a carefully chosen selection of rice HPPs/HIPPs heavy metal-associated domains (HMAs) will be cloned and over-expressed in bacteria. As work progresses, this choice will be assisted by protein bioinformatics (with Dr Dan Rigden, Liverpool) to predict HMAs that bind different metals, and also those without metal-binding capability, as controls. In vitro characterization of metal binding will be achieved using an array of spectroscopic and bioanalytical approaches (Nature 2015, 525, 140-143). Full length HPPs/HIPPs will also be produced and analysed. This will be assisted by bioinformatics to better define complete folding units and the full extent of regions to clone (IUCrJ 2017, 4, 291-300).
Once metal binding has been demonstrated in vitro, its influence on the structure and function of HPPs/HIPPs will be investigated with Prof Mark Banfield (John Innes Centre). This will include protein crystallography, testing how metal binding influences interactions with M. oryzae effector proteins and the ability of effectors to perturb ROS production by HPPs/HIPPs. Introducing metal binding into rice immune receptor proteins (e.g. Pik), which have HMAs that act as bait domains to directly detect the presence of effectors (Nat. Plants 2018, 4, 574-585), will also be tested.
For further information see the website: http://www.ncl.ac.uk/camb/
To apply
Please complete the online application form and attach a full CV and covering letter. Informal enquiries may be made to [Email Address Removed]
Funding Notes
This is a 4 year BBSRC studentship under the Newcastle-Liverpool-Durham DTP. The successful applicant will receive research costs, tuition fees and stipend (£14,777 for 2018-19). The PhD will start in October 2019. Applicants should have, or be expecting to receive, a 2.1 Hons degree (or equivalent) in a relevant subject. EU candidates must have been resident in the UK for 3 years in order to receive full support. There are 2 stages to the application process.
References
C. Dennison, S. David (PhD student), and J. Lee (PhD student), Bacterial copper storage proteins. J. Biol. Chem. 2018, 293, 4616-4627.