Chen Deng
Regulation of sugar allocation in plantpathosystem
In plant-pathogen interactions, sugars, which have a dual function as energy source and signal molecule, might serve plant defense and nutrition of the pathogens. While pathogens infect plants to get nutrient, plant activate primary defense responses resulting in high energy demand at the site of infection therefore becoming a new sink and leading to specific patterns of sugar partitioning in infected plants which might confer resistance to devastating pathogens. SugarWill be Eventually Exported Transporters (SWEET), known to be important in phloem loading, may play a key role. The aim of this project is to decipher how plants regulate sugar allocation during infection or how pathogens manipulate its host to gain nutrient. We will utilize Matryoshka-basedsugar biosensors, SWEET reporter plants and CRISPR/Cas9-based systemto study the mechanism of SWEET-mediated sugar allocation in infected plants.
Starting date: 10.09.2019 / Doctoral Researcher
Thesis committee members: Wolf Frommer, Jane Parker (MPIPZ), Sheng Yang He (MSU)