Nitric Oxide and plant defense

Team Leader : Wendehenne David

The major focus of our research is to understand how plants protect themselves against microbial pathogens. For this purpose, we investigate the signaling pathways induced in plant cells by effectors or MAMPs (Microbe-Associated Molecular Pattern) and leading to the expression of plant defense responses*. In this context, our work is focused on the analysis of the role of nitric oxide (NO) and on the identification and functional analysis of signaling proteins. Proteins of interest include Histone deacetylases type II (HD2) and proteins regulated at the post-translational level by NO via S-nitrosylation. Recently, we showed that HD2 act as main regulator of the development of the hypersensitive response and investigated, through structure/function approaches on candidate proteins, the incidence of S-nitrosylation in plant immunity. Our work also led to the identification of NO target genes in Arabidopsis thaliana. Genes of interest encode transcription factors and proteins related to iron homeostasis, notably nicotianamine synthases. All these projects are the major focus of our current and future research.

*Our principal (but not exclusive) model systems include the cryptogein-tobacco model (cryptogein is a 10 kDa protein produced by the oomycete Phytophthora cryptogea) and elicitors or microbial pathogens/Arabidopsis thaliana.