The dynamics of molecular components that regulate aphid-plant interactions

Drurey, Claire (2015) The dynamics of molecular components that regulate aphid-plant interactions. Doctoral thesis, University of East Anglia.

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Abstract

Aphids are economically important insect pests, which feed on phloem sap using stylets.
Aphids cause significant losses of crop yield, through draining plant resources and vectoring
over 275 plant viruses. In plant-pathogen interactions, basal plant defense involving
pathogen associated molecular pattern (PAMP) triggered immunity (PTI) and effector
triggered immunity (ETI) effectively fends off the majority of plant pathogens. I aimed
to discover whether these mechanisms are also involved in the plant response to aphids.
I found that elicitors present within aphids can evoke PTI/ETI defense responses. In Arabidopsis
thaliana, perception of aphid elicitors requires the Leucine-Rich Repeat Receptor-
Like Kinase (LRR-RLK) BAK1, which is required for multiple PTI responses via interaction
with other RLKs. I identified two RLKs which may detect aphid elicitors and provide specificity
to aphid detection.
Successful aphid colonization of plants is thought to involve the suppression of PTI and
ETI via effectors, leading to effector-triggered susceptibility (ETS). I investigated a Myzus
persicae effector, Mp10, and found that it was required for success on Arabidopsis and
could block immune signalling. A plant target for Mp10 was identified via a yeast twohybrid
screen. Further investigations suggest that the Mp10 target has previously unknown
roles in immune receptor trafficking.
Mp10 induces ETI-like responses when expressed in plants, which I found were not
dependent upon Mp10 effector action or salicylic acid. A yeast two-hybrid screen of candidate
aphid effectors revealed interactions with plant resistance proteins, which may play
a role in the aphid-plant interaction. Aphid effector proteins were also found to interact
with each other, suggesting a role in the regulation of effector action and delivery into plants.
Taken together, the research described in this thesis has elucidated the roles of PTI,
ETS and ETI in insect-plant interactions and identified specific plant and aphid proteins
that are involved in these.

Item Type:	Thesis (Doctoral)
Faculty \ School:	Faculty of Science > School of Biological Sciences
Depositing User:	Jackie Webb
Date Deposited:	17 Jun 2016 12:01
Last Modified:	14 Jun 2020 00:38
URI:	https://ueaeprints.uea.ac.uk/id/eprint/59399
DOI:

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