1. Molecular Plant-Microbe Interactions
פרופ' יצחק ברש Prof. Isaac Barash
Britannia room 514, Tel: (office), (lab),
Our laboratory is concerned with biochemical and molecular aspects of plant-microbe interactions, primarily with bacterial and fungal plant pathogens. During the last years we have mainly focused on molecular mechanisms for virulence in the gall forming phytopathogenic bacteria Pantoea agglomerans pv. gypsophilae (Pag) and P. agllomerans pv. betae (Pab). Pag is pathogenic on gypsophila whereas Pab infects beet and gypsophila. We discovered that the virulence of Pag and Pab is dependent on a pathogenicity plasmid and characterized numerous virulence genes on these plasmids. Current research is aimed at understanding the regulation and mode of action of the virulence determinants as well as mechanisms for host specificity. This work is carried out in collaboration with Dr. Shulamit Manulis of the A.R.O., The Volcani Center.
Research Associate: Dr Henia Mor
Graduate students:
Gal Nissan
Laura Chalupowicz
Ania Piterman
Danny Vintal
Maxim Itkin
Ya’akov Harnoy