Japan: Yutaka Okumoto, Naoki Mori, and Naoko Yoshinaga (Kyoto University) USA: Georg Jander (Boyce Thompson Institute); Eric Schmelz and Alisa Huffaker (USDA-ARS)
Intellectual Merit: Plants produce an enormous variety of toxic and deterrent metabolites to protect themselves against pathogens and herbivores. These chemical defenses include well-studied molecules like caffeine in coffee and capsaicin in hot peppers. However, less than 10% of the metabolites in any given plant species have been identified. Many defense-related compounds are absent in non-stressed plants, but accumulate locally to very high levels following attack. The targeted identification of these small molecules, which accumulate in response to infection or herbivory, will result in the discovery previously unknown plant defenses. In the current project, defense-induced metabolites will be identified in four well-studied plant species, maize, soybean, rice and Arabidopsis. By focusing on these key species, it will be possible to make use of well-developed genetic tools and an extensive body of prior research to speed the discovery genes and pathways that are required for the synthesis of previously unknown plant metabolites. The defensive functions of the newly identified plant genes and metabolites will be confirmed with insect and pathogen bioassays.
Broader Impacts: Analysis of induced defenses in plants will lead to the identification of previously unknown molecules that have practical applications in the control of pests and diseases. A mechanistic understanding of natural plant defenses will enable targeted trait improvements that reduce energy inputs and the use of agricultural chemicals, which are required when cultivating plants for food, animal feed, and biofuel production. Interactions between American and Japanese scientists will be enhanced through this highly collaborative research project. Samples for analysis will be exchanged between research teams, scientists from the US will receive training in Japan, and undergraduate students from Japan will participate in a well-established undergraduate research program at the Boyce Thompson Institute. A new generation of plant scientists will be prepared for future careers in academia, industry, and government service.
