Molecular Signals in Plant Cell Recognition

Abstract

Molecular recognition and associated signalling mechanisms in plants are fundamental to a wide range of biological processes including fertilisation, cell division, ordered cell growth and development, host-pathogen interactions, symbiosis and stress response. The general presumption (borne out in some cases) is that such recognition events involve surface-localised molecules associating in some complementary fashion, and that the surface events are linked to a cellular response through some form of signalling mechanism involving transmission and transduction of the stimulus. In this presentation our current understanding of the nature of some molecular signals and their receptors involved in recognition of ‘self’ and ‘non-self’ will be considered in the context of recognition between higher plants and parasitic microorganisms. Particular attention will be devoted to the application of newer molecular technologies.