Effectors in plant–microbe interactions

Scope

Effectors are defined as molecules produced by bio-aggressors/pathogens/symbionts to manipulate their host plants, thereby facilitating infection (virulence or symbiotic factors, toxins, inhibitors) and/or triggering defense responses (avirulence factors, elicitors). This dual (and conflicting) activity of effectors has been broadly reported in many plant–microbial interactions. This research topic is actively investigated using a combination of approaches (genetics, molecular biology, biochemistry, physiology and developmental biology) and benefits from the recent advances in plant and microbial functional genomics and genome-wide evolutionary analyses. Tremendous progress has been made in recent years but many questions remain unanswered. The 22nd New Phytologist Symposium aims to act as a catalyst for future research by bringing together scientists working on plant–microbe interactions across a range of organisms (viruses, bacteria, fungi and nematodes) to identify and focus on these important questions.

Abstract book

Download the 22nd NPS abstract book

• In April 2014 we published a Virtual Special Issue on 'Phytopathogen effector proteins'

Organising committee

Sophien Kamoun, The Sainsbury Laboratory, JIC, UK

Marc-Henri Lebrun, CNRS-Bayer Cropscience, France

Francis Martin, INRA-Nancy, France

Nick Talbot, University of Exeter, UK

Holly Slater, New Phytologist, Lancaster, UK