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Associate Professor of Molecular Plant Pathology 550 Latham Hall (0390) Phone: (540) 231-2388
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Education | Experience | Research Interests | Teaching and Public Engagement | Research Support | Awards | Professional Services | Selected Publications
- Ph.D., Department of Genetics, University of Georgia, 1995.
- B.S., Cell and Molecular Biology, University of Tennessee, 1987.
- Associate Professor, PPWS, Virginia Tech, 2006-present
- Acting Head, PPWS, June-December 2010
- Assistant Professor, PPWS, Virginia Tech, 2000-2006
- Postdoctoral Researcher, University of North Carolina (Jeff Dangl's lab), 1995-99
Pathogens have evolved sophisticated molecular weapons to exploit plants as sources of food and shelter. For example, many pathogens have evolved the capacity to export their own proteins to the interior of plant cells. Once they have gained entry to the interior of plant cells, these pathogen "effector" proteins manipulate specific plant regulatory proteins to make the plant more susceptible to infection. Plants, in turn, have evolved large collections of surveillance proteins that recognize specific pathogen molecules (including some effector proteins) as signals of invasion. This molecular recognition can trigger potent immune responses in the plant, including programmed plant cell suicide at the site of invasion.
My group investigates the molecular interplay and co-evolution between pathogens effector proteins, their targets inside plant cells, and the plant immune surveillance system. Most of our effort is focused on the interaction between the model plant Arabidopsis thaliana and the oomycete pathogen Hyaloperonospora arabidopsidis (downy mildew disease). H. arabidopsidis is a natural pathogen of Arabidopsis, and is related to downy mildew pathogens of crops as well as notorious pathogens in the Phytophthora genus (e.g., late blight of potato). We use molecular genetic and genome-enabled approaches to address the following, interrelated questions:
- How do pathogens manipulate plant cells? Several projects addressing to this question are underway. First, we are co-leading a coalition to sequence the H. arabidopsidis genome. This effort has provided insight into the genomic basis and evolution of "obligate biotrophy", a lifestyle in which pathogens are completely dependent on their hosts for survival. In addition, analysis of the genome has revealed a large collection of so-called "RXLR" effector proteins in H. arabidopsidis. We are currently characterizing the function of some of these genes, including their localization inside plant cells and the plant proteins that are targeted by these effectors. In addition, we are part of a coalition to develop proteins microarrays as a tool for high-throughput functional analysis of RXLR effectors. These projects will provide insight into the molecular mechanisms through which oomycete pathogens cause disease, and may reveal novel plant pathways that play a role in interaction with microbes.
- How do plants evolve new surveillance genes? We are collaborating with Dr. John Jelesko to develop a genetic screening system that models the impact of genetic recombination on the evolution of clustered plant surveillance genes ("R genes"). This project will provide a clearer understanding of how frequently resistance genes recombine, whether the frequency of recombination is elevated in response to stress, and whether new resistance genes can be produced from a single recombination.
- Can fundamental research on plant-pathogen interactions be translated into new strategies for disease control? Diseases caused by plant pathogens are a perennial threat to global food security, causing 100's of billions of dollars in damage on an annual basis. We are part of a coalition to leverage oomycete pathogen genome information for control of soybean diseases, including root/stem rot caused by Phytophthora sojae. Our role in this project is to use information from pathogen genomics to search for novel resistance genes in soybean and related species. These genes can be used in molecular breeding for resistance and we expect that they will be durable against pathogen co-evolution.
Teaching and Public Engagement
I currently lead or contribute to the following courses:
- Plant Disease Physiology and Development
- Molecular Biology for the Life Sciences
- Topics in Molecular Cell Biology and Biotechnology
- Graduate Professional Development
I am also interested in development of new training programs for Plant Science graduate students, and I contribute to development and administration of the Molecular Plant Science Ph.D. Training Program at Virginia Tech.
My group also contributes to outreach and public engagement, by participating in the Partnership for Research and Education in Plants program at Virginia Tech (PI, Erin Dolan). This program brings together biology teachers and research scientists to guide high school students in investigating gene function in Arabidopsis. We are collaborating with high schools to learn more about how pathogen effector genes can affect various aspects of plant biology. We are also collaborating with PREP to develop new models for partnership between Molecular Plant Science graduate students and high school students and teachers.
Current
- NSF, Symbiosis, Defense, and Self-Recognition
- USDA NIFA, Functional Genomics of Agriculturally Important Microorganisms
- USDA NIFA, Global Food Security
Recent
- NIH-NIGMS, Genetic Mechanisms Section
- USDA NIFA, Biology of Plant-Microbe Interactions Program
- USDA NIFA/NSF Microbial Genome Sequencing Program
- Virginia Tech ASPIRES
- Thomas and Kate Miller Jeffress Memorial Trust
- Certificate of Teaching Excellence, College of Agriculture and Life Sciences, Virginia Tech, 2010
- Henderson Award, Outstanding Faculty, PPWS Department, Virginia Tech, 2007
- NIH Postdoctoral Fellow, 1995-1998.
- NIH Predoctoral Training Grant Fellow, 1991-1994.
- Editorial Boards: Frontiers in Plant-Microbe Interaction, The Plant Journal, Molecular Plant-Microbe Interactions, Molecular Plant Pathology, Molecular Biotechnology
- Grant Proposal Panelist: NSF, USDA, French National Research Agency (ANR)
- McDowell, J.M., 2011, Beleaguered Immunity. Science, 334:1354.
- McDowell, J.M., 2011, Genomes of plant rust pathogens reveal adaptations for obligate parasitism, Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. USA, 108:8921-2.
- McDowell J.M., Hoff, T., Anderson, R., Deegan, D., 2011, Propogation, Storage, and Assays with Hyaloperonospora arabidopsidis, a model oomycete pathogen of Arabidopsis, Methods in Molecular Biology, 712:137-51.
- McDowell J.M., 2011, Examples of How New Experimental Technologies Have Enabled Landmark Advances in Understanding of Plant Immunity Over the Last Half-Century, Methods in Molecular Biology, 712:v-x.
- Plant Immunity: Methods and Protocols, 2011, Methods in Molecular Biology, Volume 712, (J. McDowell, ed.), Springer Science, New York.
- Baxter L, Tripathy S, Ishaque N, Boot N, Cabral A, Kemen E, Thines M, Ah-Fong A, Anderson R, Badejoko W, Bittner-Eddy P, Boore JL, Chibucos MC, Coates M, Dehal P, Delehaunty K, Dong S, Downton P, Dumas B, Fabro G, Fronick C, Fuerstenberg SI, Fulton L, Gaulin E, Govers F, Hughes L, Humphray S, Jiang RH, Judelson H, Kamoun S, Kyung K, Meijer H, Minx P, Morris P, Nelson J, Phuntumart V, Qutob D, Rehmany A, Rougon-Cardoso A, Ryden P, Torto-Alalibo T, Studholme D, Wang Y, Win J, Wood J, Clifton SW, Rogers J, Van den Ackerveken G, Jones JD, McDowell JM*, Beynon J, Tyler BM, 2010, Signatures of adaptation to obligate biotrophy in the Hyaloperonospora arabidopsidis genome. Science, 330:1549-51 (* Corresponding author)
- Mohr, T. J., Mammarella, N. T., Hoff, T., Woffenden, B. W., Jelesko, J. G., and McDowell, J. M., 2010, The Arabidopsis downy mildew resistance gene RPP8 is induced by pathogens and salicylic acid, and is regulated by W box cis elements. Molecular Plant-Microbe Interactions, 23:1303-15.
- Genger, R. K., Jurkowski, G. I., McDowell, J. M., Lu, H., Jung, H. W., Greenberg, J. T., Bent, A. F., 2008, Signaling pathways that regulate the enhanced disease resistance of Arabidopsis "Defense, No Death" mutants, Molecular Plant-Microbe Interactions, 10:1285-96
- Dou, D., Kale, S. D., Wang, X., Chen, Y., Wang, Q., Wang, X., Jiang, R. H. Y., Arredondo, F. D., Anderson, R.G., Thakur, P. B., McDowell, J. M., Wang, Y., Tyler, B. M., 2008, Conserved C-terminal motifs required for avirulence and suppression of cell death by Phytophthora sojae effector Avr1b. The Plant Cell, 20: 1118-1133.
- McDowell, J. M. and Simon, S., 2008, Molecular Diversity at the Plant-Pathogen Interface. Developmental and Comparative Immunology 32: 736-44.
- Eulgem, T. E., Tsuchiya, T., Wang, X.J., Beasley, B., Cuzick, A., Tor, M., Zhu, T., McDowell, J. M., Holub E. B., Dangl, J. L., 2007, EDM2 is a novel component of RPP7-dependent disease resistance in Arabidopsis that affects RPP7 transcript levels, The Plant Journal, 49: 829-39.
- Dangl, J.L. and McDowell, J. M., 2006, Two modes of pathogen recognition by plants. Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. USA, 103:8575-6
- Simon, S., and McDowell, J. M., 2006, Recent insights into R gene evolution. Molecular Plant Pathology 7:437-448.
- McDowell, J. M., Williams, S. G., Funderburg, N. T., Eulgem, T., and Dangl, J. L., 2005. Genetic analysis of developmentally regulated resistance to downy mildew (Hyaloperonospora parasitica) in Arabidopsis thaliana. Molecular Plant-Microbe Interactions, 18:1226-1234.
- McDowell, J. M., 2004. Convergent evolution of disease resistance genes. Trends in Plant Sciences 9:315-317.
- Song, J. T., Liu, H., McDowell, J. M., and Greenberg, J. T., 2004. ALD1 is required for local and systemic defenses in Arabidopsis through PAD4-dependent and -independent signal transduction. The Plant Journal, 40:200-212.
- Eulgem, T., Weigman, V., Chang, H.-S., McDowell, J. M., Holub, E. B., Glazebrook, J., Zhu, T., and Dangl, J. L., 2004. Gene expression signatures from three genetically separable R gene signaling pathways for downy mildew resistance. Plant Physiology, 135:1129-1134.
- Chen Z., Kloek, A. P., Cuzick, A., Moeder, W., Tang, D., Innes, R. W., Klessig, D. F., McDowell, J. M., and Kunkel, B. N., 2004. The Pseudomonas syringae type III effector AvrRpt2 functions downstream or independently of SA to promote virulence on Arabidopsis thaliana. The Plant Journal, 37:494-504.
- McDowell, J. M., and Woffenden, B. W., 2003. Plant disease resistance genes: Recent insights and potential applications. Trends in Biotechnology 21:178-183.
- Beers, E. P., and McDowell, J. M., 2001. Regulation and execution of programmed cell death in response to pathogens, stress, and environmental cues. Current Opinion in Plant Biology 4:561-567.
- McDowell, J. M., and Dangl, J. L., 2000. Signal transduction in the plant immune response. Trends In Biochemical Science 25:79-82.
- McDowell, J. M., Cuzick, A., Can, C., Beynon, J., Dangl, J. L. and Holub, E. B., 2000. Downy mildew (Peronospora parasitica) resistance genes in Arabidopsis vary in functional requirements for NDR1, EDS1, NPR1, and salicylic acid accumulation. The Plant Journal 22:523-31.
- McDowell, J. M.*, Dhandaydham, M.*, Long, T. A., Aarts, M. G. M., Goff, S., Holub, E. B., and Dangl, J. L., 1998. Intragenic recombination and positive selection contribute to the evolution of downy mildew resistance at the RPP8 locus in Arabidopsis. The Plant Cell 10:1861-1874. *Equal first authorship.
- Grant, M. R.*, McDowell, J. M.*, Sharpe, A. J., Zabala, M., Lydiate, D. J., and Dangl, J. L., 1998. Independent deletions of a pathogen resistance gene in Brassica and Arabidopsis. Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. USA 95:15843-15848. *Equal first authorship.