PLNTPTH7003.01
AGRICULTURAL GENOMICS: PRINCIPLES AND APPLICATIONS
(2 Credits)
Instructor: Guo-Liang Wang
Course description:
We have entered the postgenomic era as a huge amount of DNA sequence and gene expression data has been accumulated in public databases in the last decade. The successful completion of genome sequences of many important plants, animals and their pathogens and enormous reduction of sequencing costs have opened the opportunity for more genomes of agriculturally important organisms to be unraveled in the near future. How to use and apply genomics and bioinformatics tools in agriculture will be a major challenge for all new geneticists, biotechnologists and microbiologists. In PP7003.01, we will review the principles of most genomics techniques, new developments in the field and emphasize their application in agriculture.
Course objectives:
Students will learn the following:
•What are the tools needed for genome analysis?
•How to analyze the function of important genes on a large-scale?
•How to analyze a genome using systems biology approaches?
•How to use and apply genomics data to biological questions in agriculture?
PLNTPTH 5003
MOLECULAR PLANT-MICROBE INTERACTIONS
(2 Credits)
Instructors: Guo-Liang Wang and Ye Xia
This lecture course will focus on the molecular bases of plant-microbe interactions ranging from how microbes cause disease to how plant defend themselves. Emphasis will be given to principles of pathogen virulence, recognition of pathogen, host target proteins, defense activation and signaling. A recent review on each topic will be provided to students after class. The questions from students will be discussed in the next class. The following topics will be covered in the class:
- Genetics and genomics of plant microbe interactions
- Pathogen infection strategies (toxins, enzymes, effectors, etc.)
- Methods for genetic manipulations of pathogens
- Host physiological changes
- Pattern recognition receptors and PAMP-triggered immunity
- Resistance proteins and effector-triggered immunity
- Defense signaling transduction pathways
- Balance between plant immunity and yield
- New technologies: live cell imaging and single cell sequencing
- New frontiers: phytobiome and biocontrol