Structures and functions of MAMPs

We study the chemical structure and the synthesis of bacterial lipopolysaccharides (LPS) and peptidoglycan (PGN).

 

• LPS and PGN biosynthesis genes in Gram-positive and Gram-negative bacteria. What does mutations in the biosynthesis do to the structures of LPS or PGN molecules and to the whole bacteria? How do they survive in planta? Do they remain virulent? Do they still have their ability to act as a MAMP? Etc.
• Gram-positive plant bacteria: structure analysis of PGN and its perception in plants. We are purifying PGN from a Gram-positive plant pathogenic bacterium and compare its structure and activity in elicitation of defences in plants.
• Isolation and structural analysis of LPS purified from plants. Are there conformational changes in the structure of LPS after infection of a plant?
• Synthetic synthesis of bacterial core sugars and their action in plants. We are interested in the synthesis of synthetic sugar chain. Such synthetic compounds are used to screen plants and plant mutants for receptors, signalling and responses