The role of mitogen-activated protein kinases for developmental and pathogenic processes of Fusarium graminearum, the causal agent of the head blight disease of small grain cereals [Elektronische Ressource] / vorgelegt von Nicole Joan Jenczmionka

The role of mitogen-activated protein kinases for developmental and pathogenic processes of Fusarium graminearum, the causal agent of the head blight disease of small grain cereals Dissertation zur Erlangung des akademischen Grades Dr. rer. nat. des Fachbereichs Biologie der Universität Hamburg vorgelegt von Nicole Joan Jenczmionka aus Kösching Hamburg 2004 The most exciting phrase to hear in science, the one that heralds new discoveries, is not “Eureka” but “That´s funny…”. Isaac Asimov (1920-1992)CONTENTS AND ABBREVIATIONS Contents I Abbreviations V 1. Introduction 1 1.1. The plant pathogen Fusarium graminearum 1 1.2. The role of MAP kinases in fungal pathogenesis 9 1.3. Cell wall degrading enzymes in the plant infection process 15 1.4. The function and role of hydrophobins 19 1.5. Aims of this study 22 2. Material and Methods 23 2.1. Material 23 2.1.1. Chemicals, enzymes and equipment 23 2.1.2. Organisms 23 2.1.2.1. Escherichia coli 23 2.1.2.2. F. graminearum 24 2.1.2.3. Plants 24 2.1.3. Culture media 24 2.1.3.1. Media for E. coli2.1.3.2. Media for F. graminearum2.1.4. Plasmids 28 2.1.4.1. Plasmids for subcloning in E. coli and for transformation of 28 F. graminearum 2.1.4.2. Plasmids used or generated in the course of this work 29 2.1.5. Primers 32 2.1.6. DNA-standards 34 2.1.7. cDNA library 34 2.2. Methods 35 2.2.1. Cultivation and storage of organisms 35 2.2.1.1. Cultivation and storage of E.