Kathryn Wright
My work involves the application of imaging and cell biology techniques to investigate the interactions between pathogens and plants.
Current research interests
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The colonisation of plants by human pathogenic bacteria.
In collaboration with Nicola Holden [1], I am investigating the colonisation of young plants marketted as micro-herbs or microgreens, by Escherichia coli O157:H7 Sakai. Our work has shown that if seeds germinate in the presence of low numbers of bacteria the young plants, e.g. basil, become extensively colonised by bacteria, most being present on the surface of the leaf tissue, but others within the leaf interior. This highlights that micro-herbs represent a potential hazard of contamination by food-borne pathogens, and to mitigate the risk, they should be considered in the same manner as sprouted seeds.
Once inside a leaf of a susceptible species for example Nicotiana benthamiana, E. coli Sakai can form .png "E. coli bacteria within a spinach leaf")
large colonies showing characteristics of biofilm formation including production of curli and extracellular DNA. In other species including spinach and lettuce, the bacteria can only be found in small numbers and do not appear to proliferate.
- The localisation of effectors secreted by potato cyst nematodes into their host.
- The colonisation of potato by Pectobacterium atrosepticum
Past research
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Using an in vivo staining method I investigated susceptible and resistant interactions between the pathogen Rhynchosporium secalis and barley.
- With colleagues I have investigated the role of TGB 1 movement protein in the movement of Potato mop top virus and the mechanism by which Tobacco mosaic virus- movement protein moves from its site of synthesis to the plasmodesmata.
- Using the Arabidopsis root as a model system I also investigated the phloem mobility of fluorescent xenobiotics and examined the long distance movement of macromolecules with particular reference to their unloading from the phloem.
Bibliography
Links:
[1] https://www.hutton.ac.uk/staff/nicola-holden