Laboratory of Plant-Pathogen Interactions

Contacts
Group head: 
Miloslav Juříček
Centre: 
Pernikářka
Address: 
Na Pernikářce 15, 160 00 Praha 6
Email: 
juricekatueb [dot] cas [dot] cz
Phone: 
+420 220 303 847
Fax: 
+420 233 339 412

Reasearch objectives of the laboratory

Plant-pathogen interaction leads to activation of specific genes followed by synthesis of proteins or enzymes engaged in host defense reactions. An important process of gene expression regulation involves chemical modifications of specific residues on histones that remodel chromatin from a tightly coiled, functionally repressive conformation (heterochromatin) to a relatively relaxed structure (euchromatin) that is readily accessible to transcription factors and hence biologically active. A vital step in understanding how genes are expressed or are not expressed (silent) was discovery of histone methylation, an initiating event in silencing of genes, and histone methyl transferase (HMT), the enzyme that drives methylation, is therefore of great topical interest. A conserved region of some 130 amino acid residues, termed the SET domain, is the core element of HMT.
The basic research of the laboratory is concerned with functional characterization of SET domain in Arabidopsis thaliana and is mainly focused on two recently discovered HMT isoforms in K23 mutant. These two isoforms, termed 
α and β, are apparently created by alternative RNA splicing.
The current work is concentrated on characterization of the functions of HMT K23 and of two additional Arabidopsis SuvR SET domain subfamily members and on determination if there is any interaction between the two isoforms, 
α and β. Since the domain architecture of HMT K23 closely parallels that of DIM-5 of Neurospora, the only HMT in this organism, the possible complementation with Neurospora mutants DIM-5 is also studied. If these experiments are successful, this approach can be used as a rapid screen for HMT activity of other plant (or animal) SET proteins.

In the field of applied research, the laboratory is involved in molecular biology of resistance against apple scab caused by the fungus Venturia inaequalis

Workers

Workers: 

scientist

head of the laboratory
scientist

scientific assistant

Publications

Publications: 
Number of publications: 13

2010

2009

2007

2006