My project aims to investigate the function of a family of effectors (SPRYSECs) from potato cyst nematodes

Globodera pallida in collaboration with James Hutton Institute (JHI). The genome sequencing project for this

nematode, in which JHI is a partner, has shown that the SPRYSEC gene family is extremely large, consisting of

over 300 members. I have been working with 10 SPRYSEC effectors, which are expressed in the invasive stage

juveniles, that localize to different compartments of the plant cell. My previous visit to JHI has allowed me to find a

range of different host proteins that interact with the SPRYSECs in the yeast two hybrid system when screened

against a potato cDNA library. Preliminary results have confirmed the interactions between SPRYSECs and the

truncated host protein in the yeast as well as in host plant cells. The plan next is to verify these interactions with full

length interactor proteins using various in planta assays such as co-localization and split YFP assays. Constructs

are available at JHI containing fusions of various nucleolar and Cajal body markers to mRFP. These markers

together with the microscopy infrastructure available at JHI will be of great help to my research.