Stephen Chisholm

Assistant Professor

Stephen.Chisholm@ColoState.edu  
C208 Plant Sciences
(970) 491-6824

Our laboratory studies interactions between plant pathogens and their hosts. We are particularly interested in bacterial proteins (effectors) delivered to host cells during the infection process. Bacterial pathogens may inject between twenty and thirty unique effectors into host cells during infection. Our current understanding suggests many effector proteins function as enzymes or enzyme inhibitors that interact with host proteins in order to modulate various host cell functions. However, the specific molecular function and host targets of most effectors remain unknown. Currently, we are characterizing the functions of several specific effectors and determining their targets. Furthermore, we are using genomic techniques to identify host variability leading to increased susceptibility and resistance to pathogens.

Course I Teach:

Molecular Analyses of Host-Pathogen Interactions (BI 596V Group Study) (Spring)

Representative Publications:

Chisholm, S.T.*, Coaker, G.*, Day, B.* and B.J. Staskawicz (2006) Host-Microbe Interactions: Shaping the Evolution of the Plant Immune Response. Cell 124:803-14

Day, B., Dahlbeck, D., Huang, J., Chisholm, S.T., Li, D. and B.J. Staskawicz (2005) Molecular basis for the RIN4 negative regulation of RPS2 disease resistance. Plant Cell 17:1292-1305

Chisholm, S.T., Dahlbeck, D. Krishnamurthy, N., Day, B., Sjolander, K., and B.J. Staskawicz (2005) Molecular characterization of proteolytic cleavage sites in the Pseudomonas syringae effector AvrRpt2. Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. USA 102:2087-2092.

Axtell, M.A., Chisholm, S.T., Dahlbeck, D. and B.J. Staskawicz (2003) Genetic and molecular evidence that the Pseudomonas syringae type III effector protein AvrRpt2 is a cysteine protease. Mol. Microbiol. 49:1537-1546.

Chisholm, S.T., Parra, M.A., Anderberg, R.A., and J.C. Carrington (2001) Components of the Arabidopsis RTM system for restriction of tobacco etch virus long-distance movement localize to sieve elements. Plant Phys. 127:1667-75.

(*Authors contributed equally)