While RNA interference (RNAi) has been deployed to facilitate gene function studies in diverse helminths, parasitic nematodes appear variably susceptible. To test if this is due to inter-species differences in RNAi effector complements, we performed a primary sequence similarity survey for orthologs of 77 Caenorhabditis elegans RNAi pathway proteins in 13 nematode species for which genomic or t...

The type VI secretion system (T6SS) is a lethal weapon used by many bacteria to kill eukaryotic predators or prokaryotic competitors. Killing by the T6SS results from repetitive delivery of toxic effectors. Despite their importance in dictating bacterial fitness, systematic prediction of T6SS effectors remains challenging due to high effector diversity and the absence of a conserved signature s...

Polyphosphoinositides (PPIns) are signalling messengers representing less than five per cent of the total phospholipid concentration within cell. Despite their low concentration, these lipids critical regulators various cellular processes, including cell cycle, differentiation, gene transcription, apoptosis and motility. PPIns generated by phosphorylation inositol head group phosphatidylinosito...

The lengthy process to generate transformed plants is a limitation in current research on the interactions of model plant pathogen Pseudomonas syringae with hosts. Here we present an easy method called agromonas, where quantify P. growth agroinfiltrated leaves Nicotiana benthamiana using cocktail antibiotics select plates. As proof concept, demonstrate that transient expression PAMP receptors r...

Background: Multiple Sclerosis (MS), the most common demyelinating disease of the CNS, is immunologically mediated in genetically susceptible individuals. Receptors for the Fc fragment of IgG (FcγR) might induce inflammatory responses through linking the humoral and cellular immune responses by targeting immune complexes to effector cells. Polymorphisms in some FcγR genes are associated with va...

The gene encoding the rice transcription factor, REB (rice endosperm bZIP) was cloned from a bacterial artificial chromosome library of rice. The cloned 6,227-bp-long Reb gene is composed of six exons and five introns and is flanked by a 1.2-kb 5' promoter and a 1.2-kb 3' terminator region. The function of the Reb gene was explored by a transient assay by using a rice immature endosperm system....

Highly specialized obligate plant-parasites exist within several groups of arthropods (insects and mites). Many of these are important pests, but the molecular basis of their parasitism and its evolution are poorly understood. One hypothesis is that plant parasitic arthropods use effector proteins to defeat basal plant immunity and modulate plant growth. Because avirulence (Avr) gene discovery ...

Bacterial pathogenicity to plants and animals has evolved through an arms race of attack and defense. Key players are bacterial effector proteins, which are delivered through the type III secretion system and suppress basal defenses . In plants, varietal resistance to disease is based on recognition of effectors by the products of resistance (R) genes . When recognized, the effector or in this ...