Regulation of signaling pathways and gene expression in plants during plant pathogen interactions. Gene regulation in plants induced by pathogens and environmental stress.
Our research focuses on the molecular mechanisms regulating gene expression during the defense response in plants to pathogen attack. Previous work has shown that the plant defense response involves both activation of transcription of specific genes and repression of the expression of other genes. One major area is to understand the molecular basis for the rapid degradation of specific mRNAs. A second major focus is to define the role of activated oxygen species in the signal transduction pathways linking pathogen recognition and changes in gene expression. These studies involve analysis of RNA binding protein, complexes DNA cloning, generation of transgenic plants, plant tissue culture, protein purification and biochemical studies of redox-active molecules.