Research

As part of its overaching climate change policy, the European Commission has decided to significantly reduce the use of chemical pesticides and to support more environmental friendly agricultural practices. An interesting alternative to develop more sustainable protection of crop plants against pathogens is to increase the efficiency of the plant immune system by surplus, non-growth limiting supply with micronutrients. Recent work demonstrates that supplying additional, non-toxic Zn and Cu concentrations to bell pepper (Capsicum annuum) can induce resistance against a generalist necrotroph Botrytis cinerea. In this interdisciplinary, collaborative project we intend to study the protective effects of each of the two micronutrients and to elucidate metabolic pathways that are mediated by Zn- and Cu-containing pepper proteins after priming as well as upon priming and subsequent infection (induced resistance). The B. cinerea - pepper interaction and the underlying protective effects of each of the two micronutrients Cu and Zn will be studied by the use of complementary expertises and cutting edge methods developed and optimized by the two collaboration partners in CZ (Biology Centre of the Czech Academy of Sciences) and AT (BOKU Vienna): metalloproteomics, X-ray spectroscopy, imaging of photosynthetic light reactions and stable isotope-assisted targeted and untargeted metabolomics. The planned time course experimens will reveal how the spatial accumulation pattern of Cu & Zn and metabolic pathways are modified by, and interfere with pathogen invasion. We anticipate that the complementary methods combined in this project together with the proposed time-resolved approach will provide a comprehensive picture and improved understanding of the molecular micronutrient priming for the first time.

Immunoglobulin E (IgE)-associated allergy remains to be the most prevalent immunologically-mediated disease affecting almost 30% of the population world-wide. Accordingly it is one of the most important non-communicable diseases affecting mankind. Allergic and chronic airway diseases are currently a major public health problem causing high morbidity, costs and mortality. Allergic patients suffer not only from relatively mild manifestations such as allergic rhinitis and conjunctivitis but also other organs such as the lung, skin and gastrointestinal tract can be heavily affected. The most severe form of allergy, anaphylactic shock caused by food allergens and venom allergens may lead to life-threating conditions and death also in very young persons. Likewise, asthma is a severely disabling and life-threatening manifestation of allergy from early childhood up to elderly life. Several pharmacological and biological treatements are available but their effect is modest, lasts only as long as the medication is administered and does not provide sustained effects. Molecular allergy diagnosis enables to transform healthcare towards the principles of “P4 Medicine” for predictive, preventive, personalized (precision) and participatory medicine.