Confocal microscopy in plant pathogen interactions

Abstract

Over the course of evolution, fungi have adapted to occupy specific niches, from symbiotically inhabiting the flora of the intestinal tract of mammals to saprophytic growth on leaf litter resting on the forest floor. In Plant Fungal Pathogens: Methods and Protocols, expert researchers in the field detail many of the methods which are now commonly used to study fungal plant pathogens. These include methods and techniques for model systems such as Arabidopsis thaliana as well as crop plants, aspects of fungal biology, genome annotation, next-generation sequencing, and fungal transformation and molecular tools for disease and/or pathogen quantification that are critical for revealing the role for a fungal gene of interest in disease development. Written in the highly successful Methods in Molecular Biology series format, chapters include introductions to their respective topics, lists of the necessary materials and reagents, step-by-step, readily reproducible laboratory protocols, and key tips on troubleshooting and avoiding known pitfalls.