CSB353 – Plant-Microorganism Interactions and Plant Immunity

Contrary to the common notion, plants possess dynamic and sophisticated immune systems to fight to pathogenic microorganisms. CSB353H1 is a lecture course, which discusses the ways plants have co-evolved with microbes in an on-going arms race, resulting in sophisticated strategies to protect themselves.  This course presents an overview of these strategies with examples of bacteria, fungi, oomycetes and viruses that have evolved intimate associations with plants. The main focus will be the discussion of their interaction at the molecular level and components of the plant immune system and signal transduction. Finally, biotechnological approaches utilizing scientific knowledge to protect plants will be introduced.

CSB452 – Molecular Interactions Between Plants, Microorganisms and Parasitic Plants

This course explores the strategies that plants have evolved to defend themselves against microbes and parasitic plants. The course consists of two sections; 1. Plant-pathogenic microbe interactions and 2. Plant-plant parasite interactions. The first section focuses on an in-depth discussion about on-going research of plant immunity against pathogenic microbes. The second section introduces plant-parasitic plant relationships with an emphasis on signaling pathways that underlie these interactions and discusses how basic knowledge of the lifestyle of parasitic plants could contribute to agricultural solutions in the developing world.

CSB1020H/F LEC 0106: TOPICS IN CELL AND SYSTEMS BIO –

SELF/NON-SELF-RECOGNITION IN PLANTS

The molecular and cellular basis of self/non-self-recognition has been well-studied in the animal research field, but it is a more recent emerging topic in plant research. The molecular mechanisms of plant self/non-self-recognition is starting to be revealed in two different aspects: self-incompatibility (recognition and rejection of self-pollen) and immunity (plant resistance against micro-organisms). In this seminar course, students will investigate the current knowledge of self/non-self-recognition of plants. The course will provide a forum for an interactive discussion between the instructors and students and will be based on a selection of current high impact primary research papers.

INSTRUCTORS: Professor Daphne Goring and Professor Keiko Yoshioka

Offered every other year.