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**AWARDS ISSUED PRIOR TO JANUARY 20, 2025, WERE FUNDED UNDER PREVIOUS ADMINISTRATIONS AND MAY NOT REFLECT THE PRIORITIES AND POLICIES OF THE CURRENT ADMINISTRATION.** OUTBREAKS OF FOODBORNE ILLNESS DUE TO CONTAMINATED LEAFY GREENS REMAINS A SERIOUS PUBLIC HEALTH CONCERN. MECHANICAL DAMAGE OF PROCESSED LEAF TISSUE OFFERS NEW OPPORTUNITIES FOR THE PROLIFERATION OF E. COLI O157:H7 (ECO157), THE MAIN CAUSAL BACTERIAL AGENT OF NUMEROUS LETTUCE-LINKED FOODBORNE OUTBREAKS. ECO157 WITHIN DAMAGED TISSUE IS PROTECTED FROM SANITIZATION, THEREFORE ALTERNATE MITIGATIONS MUST BE DEVELOPED TO MINIMIZE LETTUCE CONTAMINATION. JASMONIC ACID (JA)-MEDIATED PLANT DEFENSES ELICITED IN RESPONSE TO MECHANICAL INJURY OF LEAF TISSUE MAY SERVE AS A FIRST HURDLE TO WOUND COLONIZATION BY ENTERIC PATHOGENS. GIVEN KNOWN CULTIVAR-DEPENDENT DIFFERENCES IN JA-BASED LETTUCE RESISTANCE TO BIOTIC STRESSES, WE HYPOTHESIZE THAT CERTAIN LETTUCE GENOTYPES CAN MOUNT JA-MEDIATED RESPONSES TO LEAF INJURY THAT ARE INHIBITORY TO ECO157. ECO157 SURVIVAL WILL BE COMPARED ON SHREDDED AND INTACT LETTUCE OF CULTIVARS SELECTED BASED ON THEIR RESISTANCE TO NECROTROPHIC PATHOGENS AND INSECTS. THE MOST INHIBITORY CULTIVARS WILL BE ASSESSED FOR CALLOSE DEPOSITION, PRODUCTION OF JA, PHENOLICS, AND ROS, AND JA-DEPENDENT GENE EXPRESSION UPON WOUNDING. LETTUCE MICROBIOME AND TRANSCRIPTOME DATA WILL BE ACQUIRED IN COLLABORATION WITH THE FDA AND UC DAVIS, RESPECTIVELY, TO DETERMINE THE FACTORS THAT INFLUENCE ECO157 SURVIVAL ON CANDIDATE CULTIVARS. THE NOVEL RESULTS WILL CONTRIBUTE KNOWLEDGE FOR PLANT BREEDING TO INCREASE PRODUCE SAFETY, AND THUS TO THE AFRI EWD GOAL OF ADVANCING SCIENCE

$225,000FY2022National Institute of Food and AgricultureUSDA

Agricultural Research Service

Investigators

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**AWARDS ISSUED PRIOR TO JANUARY 20, 2025, WERE FUNDED UNDER PREVIOUS ADMINISTRATIONS AND MAY NOT REFLECT THE PRIORITIES AND POLICIES OF THE CURRENT ADMINISTRATION.** OUTBREAKS OF FOODBORNE ILLNESS DUE TO CONTAMINATED LEAFY GREENS REMAINS A SERIOUS PUBLIC HEALTH CONCERN. MECHANICAL DAMAGE OF PROCESSED LEAF TISSUE OFFERS NEW OPPORTUNITIES FOR THE PROLIFERATION OF E. COLI O157:H7 (ECO157), THE MAIN CAUSAL BACTERIAL AGENT OF NUMEROUS LETTUCE-LINKED FOODBORNE OUTBREAKS. ECO157 WITHIN DAMAGED TISSUE IS PROTECTED FROM SANITIZATION, THEREFORE ALTERNATE MITIGATIONS MUST BE DEVELOPED TO MINIMIZE LETTUCE CONTAMINATION. JASMONIC ACID (JA)-MEDIATED PLANT DEFENSES ELICITED IN RESPONSE TO MECHANICAL INJURY OF LEAF TISSUE MAY SERVE AS A FIRST HURDLE TO WOUND COLONIZATION BY ENTERIC PATHOGENS. GIVEN KNOWN CULTIVAR-DEPENDENT DIFFERENCES IN JA-BASED LETTUCE RESISTANCE TO BIOTIC STRESSES, WE HYPOTHESIZE THAT CERTAIN LETTUCE GENOTYPES CAN MOUNT JA-MEDIATED RESPONSES TO LEAF INJURY THAT ARE INHIBITORY TO ECO157. ECO157 SURVIVAL WILL BE COMPARED ON SHREDDED AND INTACT LETTUCE OF CULTIVARS SELECTED BASED ON THEIR RESISTANCE TO NECROTROPHIC PATHOGENS AND INSECTS. THE MOST INHIBITORY CULTIVARS WILL BE ASSESSED FOR CALLOSE DEPOSITION, PRODUCTION OF JA, PHENOLICS, AND ROS, AND JA-DEPENDENT GENE EXPRESSION UPON WOUNDING. LETTUCE MICROBIOME AND TRANSCRIPTOME DATA WILL BE ACQUIRED IN COLLABORATION WITH THE FDA AND UC DAVIS, RESPECTIVELY, TO DETERMINE THE FACTORS THAT INFLUENCE ECO157 SURVIVAL ON CANDIDATE CULTIVARS. THE NOVEL RESULTS WILL CONTRIBUTE KNOWLEDGE FOR PLANT BREEDING TO INCREASE PRODUCE SAFETY, AND THUS TO THE AFRI EWD GOAL OF ADVANCING SCIENCE · GrantIndex