Translocation of secreted effector proteins from fungal pathogens into host plant cells

The recent discovery that fungal proteins involved in establishing plant diseases are transported into the host cytoplasm was unexpected and opens up an entirely new research direction in studies of plant disease. This project aims to determine the molecular mechanisms responsible for the uptake of fungal proteins and to identify intracellular host proteins targeted by them. The research will enhance our fundamental knowledge of protein transport across the plasma membrane and will add a new dimension to our understanding of how fungal pathogens infect susceptible host plants, providing increased opportunities for the development of novel disease control strategies.