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| Purified potyvirus particles |
My group studies the way viruses interact with their plant hosts. Particularly, we are interested in how the virus is perceived by the host in a way that leads to a compatible or incompatible interaction and how, for a compatible interaction, this leads to the development of disease. This perception can be achieved through the recognition of specific virus products or through induced changes in the host.
Many of these studies impinge on core plant processes and provide information of much wider relevance than to plant virology alone. This applies particularly to the areas of cell-to-cell communication and heat-shock 70 perception of protein folding.
The overall philosophy behind the research programme is the integration of a wide range of technologies with the most appropriate virus/host combination to achieve an understanding of the fundamental principles controlling virus disease.
Current Projects
- Host responses to virus replication:
- Spatial and temporal changes in host gene expression after virus infection
- Virus infection triggers the cytoplasmic protein response
- Plasmodesmata (Gateways for virus invasion):
- Biochemical and genetic analysis of plasmodesmata
- Intracellular targeting to plasmodesmata
- Seed transmission of viruses
- Potyviruses (Virus genome-linked protein (VPg) as a virulence and avirulence factor):
Opportunities
Enquiries from potential postgraduate and postdoctoral scientist interested in the Maule lab are always welcome. Studentship and employment opportunities will be advertised in the popular and scientific press and will be posted on the JIC website:
