Molecular genetics of plant-microbe interactions and pathogen detection Description of Research A major focus of the research in my laboratory is directed towards understanding the biology of the interaction between small grain cereal host species, primarily barley and wheat, and smut and bunt pathogens. Germane to these processes are genes that function in dimorphic switching from a yeast-like, budding form of the fungus, to the filamentous, pathogenic form. We have cloned one of the genes involved in switching from Ustilago hordei and demonstrated that it encodes an alpha subunit of a heterotrimeric G protein. Its role in a cyclic AMP-mediated signal transduction pathway which functions to control dimorphic switching and pathogenicity is under investigation. To assist the potato industry in the identification of Clavibacter michiganensis subsp.
Research is underway to evaluate the system in field and clinic environments.
Related Publications Loubens, M., G. Richter, D. Mills and J.P. Bohin. A pathogenicity gene of Pseudomonas syringae pv. Pages 491-496 in Lemattre, M. et al. Mills, D. and J. Agnan. Cyclic AMP regulates the dimorphic switch in Ustilago hordei .