CHARACTERIZATION OF EFFECTORS FROM P. TRITICI-REPENTIS AND A. RABIEI

The goal of this project is to characterize effectors produced by the fungal wheat pathogen Pyrenophora tritici-repentis and the fungal pathogen of chickpeas, Ascochyta rabiei. Specifically Ptr ToxA will be submitted to site directed mutagenesis and effects of these mutations on the activity will be characterized through measurement of disease response of several different varieties of wheat. The presence of additional effectors produced by isolates of P. tritici-repentis will also be investigated through testing of culture filtrates from new isolates and purification of any effectors identified. The secretome of A. rabiei will be investigated when it is grown in different media and the identified proteins compared to the predicted secreted proteins and effectors. Identification of effectors and when the are secreted may lead to the breeding of more resistant varieties of wheat and chickpeas.