Pseudomonas syringae pathogenesis in Arabidopsis

How microbial pathogens cause diseases in higher eukaryotes is a major unresolved question in biology. Our research is focused on the interaction between Arabidopsis thaliana and Pseudomonas syringae pv. tomato strain DC3000. In this model interaction, both the host and the pathogen are genetically and genomically amenable, making it an excellent system for dissecting the molecular details of bacterial virulence, host response, and host-pathogen co-evolution. Elucidation of how P. s. pv. tomato DC3000 manipulates the cellular functions of a susceptible Arabidopsis plant is the subject of our research. Here, we report our characterisation of the Hrp pilus, which is required for type III secretion of P. s. pv. tomato DC3000 effector proteins into plant cells, and the effects of type III effectors on Arabidopsis physiology.