| NSF Org: |
IOS Division Of Integrative Organismal Systems |
| Recipient: |
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| Initial Amendment Date: | July 19, 2024 |
| Latest Amendment Date: | July 19, 2024 |
| Award Number: | 2334721 |
| Award Instrument: | Continuing Grant |
| Program Manager: |
Courtney Jahn
cjahn@nsf.gov (703)292-7746 IOS Division Of Integrative Organismal Systems BIO Directorate for Biological Sciences |
| Start Date: | August 15, 2024 |
| End Date: | July 31, 2027 (Estimated) |
| Total Intended Award Amount: | $736,183.00 |
| Total Awarded Amount to Date: | $600,000.00 |
| Funds Obligated to Date: |
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| History of Investigator: |
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| Recipient Sponsored Research Office: |
2200 VINE ST # 830861 LINCOLN NE US 68503-2427 (402)472-3171 |
| Sponsor Congressional District: |
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| Primary Place of Performance: |
2200 VINE ST BOX 830861 LINCOLN NE US 68503-2427 |
| Primary Place of
Performance Congressional District: |
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| Unique Entity Identifier (UEI): |
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| Parent UEI: |
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| NSF Program(s): | Plant-Biotic Interactions |
| Primary Program Source: |
01002627DB NSF RESEARCH & RELATED ACTIVIT |
| Program Reference Code(s): |
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| Program Element Code(s): |
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| Award Agency Code: | 4900 |
| Fund Agency Code: | 4900 |
| Assistance Listing Number(s): | 47.074 |
ABSTRACT
Plants are affected by diseases caused by diverse groups of microorganisms. When those diseases affect crops, such as rice, they have an enormous negative impact on farmers and food security for a growing human population. A common method to control crop diseases is with synthetic chemical pesticides that can have adverse effects on ecosystems and on human and animal health. An alternative approach involves the use of beneficial microorganisms present in natural environments to counteract the activity of plant pathogens through the production of a variety of molecules known as antimicrobials. A prominent group of environmental bacteria that could be exploited to control plant pathogens are called Pseudomonas; within that group Pseudomonas protegens PBL3 has been effective inhibiting the growth of a plant pathogenic bacterium causing a devastating disease in rice. However, it is not known how P. protegens PBL3 inhibits the growth of the pathogen. Thus, the goal of this project is to identify the specific antimicrobial molecules that P. protegens PBL3 produces and to understand how they inhibit the growth of the pathogen. The results from this project will contribute to developing biologically based solutions to control diseases in crops to reduce crop losses and reduce their economic impact to farmers, while alleviating food insecurity worldwide. In addition, the project will also be used as a platform to provide broad scientific training to emerging scientists at different stages of their careers.
Rice is a staple food for more than three billion people worldwide. Rice production is threatened by Bacterial Panicle Blight (BPB) caused by Burkholderia glumae. The absence of completely resistant rice varieties or effective chemical methods to eliminate the pathogen, has paved the way to harness environmental bacteria as sources of effective antimicrobials to control B. glumae. Previously, the environmental bacterium Pseudomonas protegens PBL3 was identified as an antagonistic bacterium against B. glumae, due to antimicrobial molecules that P. protegens PBL3 produces and secretes. However, the specific antimicrobial molecules and their mode of action on B. glumae are unknown. Thus, the proposed project combines multi-disciplinary approaches involving genetics, comparative genomics, metabolomics, and transcriptomics tools to identify genes and pathways in P. protegens PBL3 encoding antimicrobials, elucidate the chemical composition and structure of those antimicrobials and define their mode of action against B. glumae. The project will provide scientific training and professional development activities for a postdoctoral research associate, and a graduate student directly involved with the project. In addition, an important goal of the project is to enhance Hispanic representation in STEM-related fields by providing a foundational online course, as well as a hands-on summer research experience to undergraduate students in Puerto Rico.
This award reflects NSF's statutory mission and has been deemed worthy of support through evaluation using the Foundation's intellectual merit and broader impacts review criteria.
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