Research
Significance and Context
Plant diseases combined with climate change-associated temperature anomalies pose serious threats to agriculture and food security. Because the molecular mechanisms by which environmental conditions affect plant disease and immunity are poorly understood (Velásquez, Castroverde and He, 2018 Current Biology), my research aims to address this important and critical knowledge gap.
Recent Advances
Our results show that production of the defence hormone salicylic acid (SA) is a key temperature-sensitive pathway in the plant immune system (Huot, Castroverde et al., 2017 Nature Communications). SA is a crucial hormone mediating immune responses against various pathogens. We found that elevated temperature enhances disease in Arabidopsis by suppressing the plant’s SA production and promoting translocation of disease-promoting effectors into the host. Our transcriptome identified that temperature globally affects SA-regulated signaling.
Modified from: Kim and Castroverde, 2020 Plants 9: 434
Current Outlook and Rationale
Unlike some major hormones involved in plant growth and development, the specific mechanisms involved in temperature-regulation of SA production and signaling are unknown. How temperature-sensitive immunity occurs in other plant species is also unclear. These are important next-level questions that I will investigate as a PI. My aim is to create an integrative and holistic model of the mechanisms underlying plant-pathogen interactions in a changing environment, in the hope of understanding plant resilience and improving future crop productivity.
Research Questions and Aims
My research program will integrate genetic, biochemical and molecular approaches, and also foster collaborations to pursue three main biological questions.
What is the basis of elevated temperature-mediated suppression of plant immunity?
What are the temperature-sensitive host components that lead to compromised SA signaling?
How are other plant defence pathways affected by elevated temperatures?
