BIOL 1108 Study Guide - Midterm Guide: Pathogenic Bacteria, Parasitism, Hypersensitive Response
Document Summary
Plant pathogens infect and exploit host plants by a variety of mechanisms. Since pathogens cannot penetrate the epidermis (with thick walls and cuticle), it can enter through wounds, stomata, and a weakened epidermis. Biotrophic pathogens obtain resources from living cells by producing chemicals that stimulate the host cells to secrete compounds they can use as food, and necrotrophic pathogens kill cells before exploiting them by producing toxins. Plants are able to detect and respond to pathogens. Plants respond to infections by isolating infected regions. Once a plant has detected a pathogen, it can protect itself by reinforcing its natural barriers, counterattacking, or using the hypersensitive response. Mobile signals triggers defenses in uninfected tissues. Plants defend against viral infections by producing sirna. Double stranded rna molecules are formed during the replication of the viral genome and are identified as foreign since plants do not make double stranded.
