Marcel Wiermer & Xin Li
PhD student: Qiqi Yan

Intracellular nucleotide-binding and leucine-rich repeat (NLR) proteins function as immune receptors that recognize pathogen-derived effector molecules and trigger plant defense responses. Recent evidence has revealed that some NLRs cooperate and function as hetero-pairs in plant immunity, including pairs between canonical and atypical NLRs. Work in our lab has identified an NLR pair with atypical N-terminal domains that direct these NLRs to the membrane of the endoplasmic reticulum. In close collaboration with the lab of Xin Li (http://botany.ubc.ca/people/xin-li) who is investigating functions of a structurally related NLR pair in plant immunity, this doctoral research project aims to identify and molecularly characterize novel biochemical and genetic interactors of both partner NLRs and to investigate the subcellular localization and association dynamics of this NLR pair in response to pathogen attack.