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Understanding the roles of beneficial microbe effectors in plant growth and stress resistance
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Okechukwu, Emeka Chibuzor (2019) Understanding the roles of beneficial microbe effectors in plant growth and stress resistance. PhD thesis, University of Warwick.
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WRAP_Theses_Okechukwu_2019.pdf - Submitted Version - Requires a PDF viewer. Download (44Mb) | Preview |
Official URL: http://webcat.warwick.ac.uk/record=b3490603~S15
Abstract
Beneficial microbes have a mostly untapped potential to serve as bio-fertilizers and soil remediators in enhancing crop growth, yield and stress resistance. Understanding the molecular mechanisms of how microbes activate benefits in plants will be crucial for its application in larger-scale crop production systems. It is postulated that beneficial microbes could employ small secreted proteins (termed effectors) to reprogram and facilitate the transmission of those positive benefits in host plants. Recent studies have attempted to investigate the functions of ‘beneficial’ effectors in crop improvement. Serendipita indica, which is the beneficial fungus studied in the project, was used as a model to study the function of its effectors and reveal their beneficial activity in improving plant growth, abiotic and biotic stress resistance. The aim of this project was to investigate the roles of a selected set of S. indica effectors in single cell, whole plant and crop-based systems. In-planta analyses of S. indica effectors showed that some effectors such as SIE44, SIE76, SIE106 and SIE120 could enhance plant growth. In addition, SIE67 could be a candidate in improving plant stress resistance. In support of this, a conserved protein domain known to be important in stress resistance was identified in SIE67. In turn, SIE10 was identified as a potential effector that facilitates S. indica host colonization. To further investigate the roles of the effectors in a crop-based system, a barley transformation system was optimised to allow rapid functional analyses. This system was used to scrutinise effector functions in crucial crop improvement parameters such as abiotic and biotic stress resistance. While further confirmatory studies are needed, this research showed a first holistic functional view of effectors from beneficial microbes that could be important in sustaining crop productivity.
Item Type: | Thesis (PhD) | ||||
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Subjects: | Q Science > QR Microbiology S Agriculture > SB Plant culture |
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Library of Congress Subject Headings (LCSH): | Plant-microbe relationships, Plant-microbe relationships -- Molecular aspects, Bacteria, Growth (Plants) | ||||
Official Date: | June 2019 | ||||
Dates: |
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Institution: | University of Warwick | ||||
Theses Department: | School of Life Sciences | ||||
Thesis Type: | PhD | ||||
Publication Status: | Unpublished | ||||
Supervisor(s)/Advisor: | Schäfer, Patrick | ||||
Sponsors: | University of Warwick. Chancellor's International Scholarship | ||||
Format of File: | |||||
Extent: | ix, 154 leaves : illustrations, charts | ||||
Language: | eng |
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