Pseudomonas versus arabidopsis: Models for genomic research into plant disease resistance

The interaction between plants and their pathogens is complex. Plant pathogens have evolved a broad set of proteins that enable a stealthy entry into the plant cell and facilitate the evasion of host defenses. Among other defenses, plants have evolved a series of proteins that monitor their cells for signs of infection. Downstream of these monitors is a signaling and response system triggered upon infection. The molecular basis of the host-pathogen interaction is now much better understood, as a result of the development of genomic data and tools. For example, the complete genomic sequence is available for a model plant, Arabidopsis, and for one of its bacterial pathogens, Pseudomonas syringae pv. tomato DC3000. Detailed molecular analyses of these two organisms have revealed much about plant defenses. Modern genomics tools, including applications of bioinformatics and functional genomics, allow scientists to interpret DNA sequence data and test hypotheses on a broader scale than previously possible.