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Dr.
Lee Hadwiger
.jpg) 509-335-3751
chitosan@wsu.edu
Professor
of Plant Pathology. Ph.D.1962, Kansas State University.
Research
Our interest
in the biochemical nature of disease resistance in plants spans
from understanding individual functions in the plant host-fungal
parasite interaction to the cloning and transferring of disease
resistance genes between different species of plants.
Our
past publications relate the sequential reactions and interactions
between the pea plant and a root rotting fungus, Fusarium solani.
The plant’s
resistance is dependent on the activation of a series of genes,
nine of which have been cloned. The mechanisms by which these
genes are regulated by inducer and suppressor compounds released
by the fungus is being intensively studied. Initially, a hexosamine
oligomer (chitosan) has been identified as an inducer. The inducer,
originating in the fungus, becomes somewhat localized in the
plant nucleus. We recently discovered a fungal DNAse which is
also an inducer.
We
are examining the chromatin conformational changes which are
correlated with the induction process. Also, we are sequencing
the regulatory segments associated with several induced genes;
some with known functions such as ß-glucanase, and three
disease resistance response genes whose functions have not been
determined. These genes are also being used in transformation
experiments to determine their contribution to disease resistance
in a second host.
On
the applied side, we are developing the chitosan compound as
an agriculture chemical and gene activator for gene therapy.
We have transformed potato tissues with our best defense genes
from peas and are now evaluating transgenic lines for commercial
use. Peas resist most of the organisms which parasitize potatoes.
Therefore, we hope to develop potato lines (containing pea genes)
with higher levels of disease resistance.
Selected Publications
Hartney, S., Carson,
J. and Hadwiger, L. A. 2007. The use of chemical genomics to detect
functional systems affecting the non-host disease resistance of
pea to Fusarium solani f. sp. phaseoli. Plant Science 172:45-56.
Druffel, K.,
Cason, J. A., Hartney, S., and Hadwiger, L. A. 2006. Inverse
PCR to identify DNA sequence upstream of the pea HMG-A open reading
frame. Pisum Genetics 37:15-18.
Hadwiger, L.
A. and McBride, P. O. 2006. Low-level
copper plus chitosan applications provide protection against late
blight of potato. Plant Health Progress doi:10.1094/PHP-2006-04XX-01-RS
Hadwiger, L.
A., McBride, P. O., Klosterman, S. J. and
Choi, J.J. 2004. Chitosan as a component of the plant's
disease resistance response and as a "sticker" for plant
protection by antifungal compounds. In: Advances in Chitin
Science Vol.VII. Adenda. Eds: Boucher, I., Jamieson, K.,
and Retnakaran, A. pp. 1-9.
Choi, J.J.,
Klosterman, S. J. and Hadwiger, L. A. 2004. A
promoter from pea gene DRR206 is suitable to regulate an elicitor-coding
gene and develop disease resistance Phytopathology 94:651-660.
Klosterman,
S.J., Choi, J.J. and Hadwiger, L.A. 2003. Analysis
of pea HMG I/Y suggests a role in defense gene regulation. Molecular
Plant Pathology 4:249-258.
Chang, M.-M.,
Culley, D., Choi, J.J., and Hadwiger, L.A. 2002. Agrobacterium-mediated
co-transformation of pea Beta-1,3-glucanase and chitinase genes
in potato using a single selectable marker. Plant
Science 163:83-89.
Klosterman,
S.J. and Hadwiger, L.A. 2002. Plant HMG
proteins bearing the AT-hook motif. Plant Science 162:855-866.
Choi,
J.J., Klosterman, S.J. and Hadwiger, L.A. 2001. A
comparison of the effects of DNA damaging agents and biotic elicitors
on the induction of plant defense genes, nuclear distortion and
cell death. Plant Physiol. 125:752-762.
Klosterman,
S.J., Choi, J.J., Chang, M.-M. and Hadwiger L.A. 2001. Is
chitosan’s defense response-inducing action mediated through
the nuclear protein HMG-I (Y) in plants? In: Chitin Enzymology 2001. Ed:
R.A.A. Muzzarelli. Atec. Italy. pp. 4-11.
Klosterman,
S.J., Chen J., Choi, J.J., Chinn, E.E. and Hadwiger, L.A. 2001. Characterization
of a 20 kDa DNase elicitor from Fusarium solani f. sp.
phaseoli and its
expression at the onset of induced resistance in Pisum sativum. Molec.
Plant Pathol. 2:147-158.
Klosterman,
S.J., Choi, J.J., Hadwiger, L.A. 2000. Programmed
cell death is not mediated by a p53 homolog in Pisum sativum Physiol.
Molec. Plant Pathol. 56:197-206.
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