Alexander von Humboldt Professor of Evolutionary Microbiology @UniCologne & @CEPLAS_1, studying how fungi interact with plants and their environment. He/him. 💛🖤
Another #PlantSciJob here at KWS. You can follow @kwsgroup.bsky.social for regular job postings. #PlantScience #PlantSciJobs 👇
KWS GroupJob opportunity! 🌱 At KWS Einbeck (Germany), we have an exciting opening for a Group Lead for Molecular Trait Analysis & Genomics. 👉 Read more & apply online: jobs.kws.com/job/Einbeck-...
We're excited because this work not only uncovers the core function of an iconic fungal protein family, but also strengthens the idea that intermicrobial competition has been a major driver of effector evolution. Find the preprint here👇 www.biorxiv.org/cgi/content/...
Structural homology reveals cerato-platanins as conserved antimicrobials repeatedly co-opted for fungal host colonizationFungal cerato-platanins (CPs) are small (~12 kDa) secreted proteins broadly conserved across filamentous fungi and implicated in a striking diversity of biological processes, ranging from fungal development to interactions with plant hosts. However, a core molecular activity unifying these diverse functions has remained elusive. Fungal pathogens secrete effector proteins, including CPs, to manipulate host physiology and promote colonization. Increasing evidence demonstrates that particular fungal effectors possess antimicrobial activity that enables pathogens to reshape host-associated microbiota during infection, and that antimicrobial activity is strongly enriched among evolutionarily conserved secreted proteins. These findings suggests that intermicrobial competition represents an ancient and fundamental fungal trait, and that several effectors that manipulate plant hosts evolved from ancient antimicrobials. Here, we identify antimicrobial activity as the conserved core function of the CP family, from which diverse roles in environmental adaptation and host interaction evolved. Structural analysis of the Verticillium dahliae secretome identified a structural cluster containing the CP protein CP1 and the previously characterized antimicrobial effector Ave1, providing the first structural link between CPs and antimicrobial activity. Accordingly, functional assays demonstrate that V. dahliae CPs exhibit selective antimicrobial activity in vitro. Expanding this analysis to a wide diversity of phylogenetic lineages and ecological lifestyles revealed that antimicrobial features are broadly conserved across the CP family. Together, our findings identify antimicrobial activity as an ancient and conserved molecular function that unifies the CP family and support a model in which host-manipulating effector functions evolved from ancestral proteins that mediate inter-microbial competition. ### Competing Interest Statement The authors have declared no competing interest. Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft, https://ror.org/018mejw64, Project ID: ME 6064/1-1, Project number: 508411006, Project ID 458090666 / CRC1535/1, EXC 2048/1 Project ID: 390686111 Alexander von Humboldt Foundation, https://ror.org/012kf4317www.biorxiv.orgOr the earlier hypothesis formulated by @nicksnelders.bsky.social doi.org/10.1093/fems...
Microbiota manipulation through the secretion of effector proteins is fundamental to the wealth of lifestyles in the fungal kingdomRecent findings show that fungal pathogens secrete effector molecules to manipulate the host microbiota to stimulate disease development; here, we argue thdoi.orgAlso see our recent publication by The AMAPEC guy @mesny.bsky.social that underpins this hypothesis doi.org/10.1126/scia...
Plant-associated fungi co-opt ancient antimicrobials for host manipulationFungal effectors may have evolved from ancient antimicrobials, shaping plant microbiota and immunity during infection.doi.orgAll started with a surprise. When clustering the Verticillium secretome, cerato-platanin CP1 grouped with Ave1; a well-characterised antimicrobial effector with very little sequence similarity (rdcu.be/cby7M). That got us thinking...: If Ave1 is antimicrobial, could cerato-platanins be too?
Microbiome manipulation by a soil-borne fungal plant pathogen using effector proteinsNature Plants - A secreted protein effector from the fungal pathogen Verticillium dahliae has bactericidal properties. It allows the pathogen to modify the root microbiome in tomato and cotton,...rdcu.be
After spending four blissful days in Croatia and acquiring a sizeable set of scratches and bruises from snorkling around sharp rocks, I'm finally heading to the International Association for Lichenology congress in Trieste! 10 years since the last in-person IAL, this is going to be a blast! #IAL10
Gestern Dreh, heute online. Ein kurzer Bericht über unsere Arbeit hier in Freiburg im Rahmen des @ensa-research.bsky.social Projekts und in Kooperation mit @cibss.bsky.social. Danke an @henrietteruebsam.bsky.social und das ganze Team für die Koordination und Mithilfe. www.swr.de/swraktuell/b...
Weniger Erdgas und CO2: Wissenschaftler forschen an Bakterien-Pflanzen-SymbiosenKunstdünger braucht viel Erdgas und schadet Klima und Gewässern. Forschende in Freiburg wollen, dass Nutzpflanzen sich mithilfe von Bakterien selbst mit Stickstoff versorgen.www.swr.de
Join my group at @fz_juelich within the @ceplas.bsky.social excellence cluster. #PlantJobs We’re looking for a postdoc/senior scientist in plant single-cell and spatial transcriptomics recruiting.fz-juelich.de/jobposting/8...
Postdoctoral Researcher / Senior Scientist in the field of plant single-cell and spatial transcriptomicsrecruiting.fz-juelich.de