No

Day

Date

Ins

 Lecture topics

Section I: INTRODUCTION

Plant Pathogens, symbionts and representative diseases

 1

Tu

1/15

AA

Outlines and handouts of course materials; Introduction to the major types of host-pathogen interactions

 2

Th

1/17

AA

Overview of major groups of phytopathogenic bacteria and symbionts; general characteristics of the bacterial species, detection and identification

3

Tu

1/22

AA

Taxonomy; classification, differentiation; phylogenetic methods

 4

Th

1/24

GP

Bioinformatics, gene identification, barcoding:  Gernot Presting

Students sign up for the topic of choice and dates for presentations

Section II:  Infection process and host-pathogen interactions

 5

Tu

1/29

AA

Leaf spots: Infection process, diseases caused by Xanthomonas and Pseudomonas;  hypersensitivity 

6

Th

1/31

AA

Pseudomonas syringae pv. tomato and Xanthomonas axonopodis pv. vesicatoria;  hrp genes and gene for gene interactions

7

Tu

2/5

AA

Systemic blight diseases caused by Xanthomonas campestris:  the infection process, epiphytic colonization, entry, latent infections

8

Th

2/7

WK

Cankers: Bacterial canker of tomato caused by Clavibacter michiganensis; nature of seed-borne diseases;

9

Tu

2/12

MP

Wilt diseases caused by Ralstonia solanacearum – epidemiology, pathogen diversity, evolution of diseases, and international quarantine.

10

Th

2/14

AA

Scorch/declines: Xylella fastidiosa

Section III:  Symbiosis

11

Tu

2/19

DB

Rhizobium-legume symbiosis:  diversity of the bacterial symbionts

12

Th

2/21

DB

Nodule formation: infection thread, bacteriod formation, Nod and host-specificity genes; Nitrogen fixation genes (nif and fix)

13

Tu

2/26

DB

Rhizobium-legume symbiosis: current research and new directions

Section IV:  Crown gall, Agrobacterium tumefaciens and agro-transformation of plants

14

Th

2/28

Crown gall: history, etiology, and discovery of the tumor inducing principle “TIP”

15

Tu

3/4

AA

Ti  plasmid, Vir gene induction and plasmid transfer, integration of DNA into the host chromosome

16

Th

3/6

AA

Agrobacterium:  the natural bacterial bioengineer

17

Tu

3/11

Midterm

18

Th

3/13

AA

Diseases caused by phytoplasmas: Citrus greening disease (Huanglongbin)

19

Tu

3/18

AA

Soft rots, vascular necrosis and heart rot of pineapple:  Pectobacterium carotovorum, Brenneria sp. and Dickeya sp.

20

Th

3/20

SS

Student presentations: Overview of term project

21

Tu

3/25

SPRING BREAK  (3/24  -  3/28)

22

Th

3-27

SPRING BREAK

Section V. Pathogenicity factors and avirulence genes

23

Tu

4/1

gp

Quorum sensing and gene expression during host pathogen interactions  (Dulal or Gabriel)

24

Th

4/3

gp

Quorum sensing and gene expression during host pathogen interactions  (Dulal or Gabriel)

25

Tu

4/8

YC

Identification of virulence genes in bacteria/Type III secretion

26

Th

4/10

YC

Gene for gene interactions: direct binding vs. guard hypothesis

CTAHR Symposium April 11-12

27

Tu

4/15

HK

Ralstonia solanacearum: phase shifts in the pathogen interactions, host regulation of pathogen genes.

28

Th

4/17

DB

R-gene induction in plants by bacteria

29

Tu

4/22

DB

Host defense responses to blight and citrus canker pathogens

30

Th

4/24

JF

Host-pathogen interactions in vector-borne diseases:  Jacque Fletcher, Oklahoma State University

F

4/25

JF

Seminar:  Microbial forensics

Grant Proposals due: electronic version to all participants

Students read and evaluate grant proposals

31

Tu

4/29

AA

Expectations in grant proposal review

32

Th

5/1

SS

Grant panel: Reviewer 1 and 2 present; group consensus: Students defend topics

FR

5/2

SS

Written reviews due

33

Tu

5/6

AA

Future directions of plant-bacteriology and biotechnology

34

Th

5/8

Review session and discussion

35

Thurs

5/15

FINAL EXAMINATION     (9:45 - 11:45 am)