The Kunkel Lab

Welcome to the Kunkel Lab!

The Kunkel Lab is interested in the signaling and regulatory events that govern interactions between plant pathogens and their hosts. Our group is studying the bacterial plant pathogen Pseudomonas syringae and two of its host plants, Arabidopsis thaliana and tomato, systems in which both pathogen and host are amenable to genetic and molecular analysis. We are interested in the virulence strategies used by P. syringae to colonize and cause disease in plants.  Specifically, we are focusing on: 1) The roles of the plant hormone auxin (e.g. indole acetic acid or IAA) during pathogenesis, and 2) The identification and characterization of P. syringae genes that are important at intermediate and late stages of infection. 

Ultimately, our studies should provide insight into the molecular basis of disease development in other plant-pathogen interactions, a contribution that could result in the development of improved strategies for preventing or controlling plant disease in agricultural and horticultural systems. 

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