Browsing by Author "Morse, Monique"

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    The arabidopsis wall associated kinase-like 10 gene encodes a functional guanylyl cyclase and is coexpressed with pathogen defense related genes
    (Public Library of Science, 2010) Meier, Stuart; Ruzvidzo, Oziniel; Morse, Monique
    Second messengers have a key role in linking environmental stimuli to physiological responses. One such messenger, guanosine 3′,5′-cyclic monophosphate (cGMP), has long been known to be an essential signaling molecule in many different physiological processes in higher plants, including biotic stress responses. To date, however, the guanylyl cyclase (GC) enzymes that catalyze the formation of cGMP from GTP have largely remained elusive in higher plants. We have identified an Arabidopsis receptor type wall associated kinase–like molecule (AtWAKL10) as a candidate GC and provide experimental evidence to show that the intracellular domain of AtWAKL10431–700 can generate cGMP in vitro. Further, we also demonstrate that the molecule has kinase activity indicating that AtWAKL10 is a twin-domain catalytic protein. A co-expression and stimulus-specific expression analysis revealed that AtWAKL10 is consistently co-expressed with well characterized pathogen defense related genes and along with these genes is induced early and sharply in response to a range of pathogens and their elicitors.
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    Isolation and Partial Characterization Serine Protease Inhibitors from Triticum aestivum cv' Witwol
    (University of the Western Cape, 2001) Morse, Monique; Bradley, Graeme; Klaasen, Jeremy
    Plant diseases and plant pests are major constraints to plant growth and development, resulting in severe crop losses annually. Plant pathogens can be a variety of things, living and non-living. Non-living pathogens exist as physical conditions that plants are exposed to- climatic conditions can cause damage to plants and there are various agricultural practices that can also be harmful to the plant. Living pathogens are called parasitic or infectious diseases and are extremely contagious and can spread from plant to plant very quickly. Insects, nematodes, mites and higher animals can be considered as pathogens, as are slime mold, bacteria, fungi and parasitic higher plants. Viruses and viroids are also considered pathogens (URL ). Fungal diseases, in particular, severely limit the production of major crops, as do insect crop pests. Effective control of pathogens has led to widespread use of chemical fungicides and insecticides, but with potentially deleterious environmental and human health consequences associated with this practice, strategies to utilize natural host plant resistance mechanisms for disease control are being pursued (Yun e/ a1.,1997). The agrochemical industry has been actively looking for less damaging ways to control insect pests, and has introduced a number of more environmentally friendly pesticides. In addition, alternative strategies for pathogen and pest control have been pursued, such as biological control, and the use of plant varieties with inherent resistance