Aslinur Yalinkilic

Citation

Thesis Title
Sensing and Signalling Intercalary Growth in Epichloë festucae

Read article at Massey Research Online:

Epichloë festucae is a seed-transmitted symbiont that colonises grasses and provides protection from stress. E. festucae has been shown to undergo intercalary growth during host colonisation, where filaments elongate and new compartments are created between existing compartments enabling the synchronised growth of E. festucae and plant. This process has been shown to stimulate mechanical stretch in vitro, mimicking the forces imposed on filaments in plants due to their attachment to growing host cells. Ms Ozturk's research sought to identify the global gene responses to mechanical stress in E. festucae and the role of calcium in cell wall plasticity and intercalary growth. She found that mechanical stretch reprogrammed the primary metabolism in E. festucae, and calcium has a role in regulating cell wall plasticity. Her research has provided valuable insight on the role of calcium on cell wall plasticity and paved the way for understanding mechanical stress response in fungi.

Supervisors
Professor Rosie Bradshaw
Dr Christine Voisey
Dr Carla Eaton
Dr Pierre-Yves Dupont