Functional analysis of fungal effector candidate SSP (small secreted protein) genes of septoria leaf blotch pathogen (Zymoseptoria tritici) in wheat

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Tezin Türü: Doktora

Tezin Yürütüldüğü Kurum: Orta Doğu Teknik Üniversitesi, Fen Bilimleri Enstitüsü, Fen Bilimleri Enstitüsü, Türkiye

Tezin Onay Tarihi: 2019

Öğrenci: ZEMRAN MUSTAFA

Danışman: MAHİNUR AKKAYA

Açık Arşiv Koleksiyonu: AVESİS Açık Erişim Koleksiyonu

Özet:

Wheat (Triticum aestivum L.) is one of the main cereals sown world-wide. It constitutes a significant portion of daily calorie intake in many parts of the world. Despite lots of studies conducted over many years to increase the yield, there are significant losses in wheat production due to biotic and abiotic factors. Septoria tritici blotch is one of the most challenging disease among biotic stress factors. Septoria Leaf Blotch is one of the most important fungal disease in Turkey and the world, causing many concerns in wheat fields. Upon adequate conditions Zymoseptoria tritici causes direct yield loss proportionally to chlorophyll loss on leaves. Primarily, the mechanism of disease formation of the fungus needs to be understood for development of effective strategies against this pathogen. It is known that when the fungus and host plant come across following the infection, pathogens secrete small proteins called effectors. Some of these effectors affect the functioning of plant proteins, suppressing its resistance and facilitating disease formation. In this project, some of the Small Secreted Proteins (SSPs) genes on Z. tritici genome are knocked out via Agrobacterium mediated DNA fragment transfer and utilizing pathogen’s homologous recombination mechanism. The effect of the knocked-out genes in fungal virulence were investigated using classical virulence tests on these gene knock out mutant isolates. Also, development process of mutant isolates on synthetic media were monitored to investigate effects of the deleted gene on phenotypic features of the fungi.