A5102897873- Plant-Microbe Interactions and Immunity
- Legume Nitrogen Fixing Symbiosis
- Plant Pathogenic Bacteria Studies
- Plant Parasitism and Resistance
- Plant Pathogens and Resistance
- Transgenic Plants and Applications
- Plant Disease Resistance and Genetics
- Plant tissue culture and regeneration
- Polysaccharides and Plant Cell Walls
- Plant Stress Responses and Tolerance
- Plant nutrient uptake and metabolism
- Plant Virus Research Studies
- Plant Molecular Biology Research
- Biochemical and Structural Characterization
- Plant pathogens and resistance mechanisms
- Plant Pathogens and Fungal Diseases
- Plant Reproductive Biology
- Toxin Mechanisms and Immunotoxins
- Microbial Metabolites in Food Biotechnology
- Entomopathogenic Microorganisms in Pest Control
- Mycorrhizal Fungi and Plant Interactions
- Polyamine Metabolism and Applications
- Insect-Plant Interactions and Control
- Mycotoxins in Agriculture and Food
- Plant Genetic and Mutation Studies
University of Tübingen
2012-2025
University of Johannesburg
2019-2025
Institute of Plant Molecular Biology
2009-2023
Bernstein Center for Computational Neuroscience Tübingen
2023
Leibniz Association
2002-2004
Leibniz Institute of Plant Biochemistry
1996-2002
Max Planck Society
1993-1995
Many plant pathogens secrete toxins that enhance microbial virulence by killing host cells. Usually, these are produced particular taxa, such as bacteria or fungi. In contrast, many bacterial, fungal and oomycete species produce necrosis ethylene-inducing peptide 1 (Nep1)-like proteins (NLPs) trigger leaf immunity-associated responses in various plants. We have determined the crystal structure of an NLP from phytopathogenic Pythium aphanidermatum to 1.35A resolution. The protein fold...
In this study, we functionally analyzed the gene family encoding necrosis- and ethylene-inducing-like proteins (NLP) of vascular wilt pathogen Verticillium dahliae. We show that composition NLP varies little among V. dahliae isolates. The cytotoxic activity members a tomato-pathogenic strain was determined, demonstrating only two seven induced plant cell death. genes these were found to be in upon colonization tomato. Interestingly, targeted deletion either significantly compromised...
Significance Peptide fragments of Nep1-like proteins (NLPs), occurring in diverse microorganisms three different kingdoms life, were found to trigger immunity the model plant Arabidopsis , indicating that they act as a microbe-associated molecular pattern (MAMP). A synthetic peptide 24 aa from central part downy mildew HaNLP3 protein was activate immune system and resistance this pathogen. Strikingly, not only peptides oomycete NLPs, but also those bacteria fungi shown MAMP. This...
Analysis of the fully sequenced genome wheat leaf-specific fungal pathogen Mycosphaerella graminicola identified only a single gene encoding member necrosis- and ethylene-inducing peptide 1 (Nep1)-like protein family (NLP). NLP proteins have frequently been shown to trigger cell death activation defense signaling reactions in dicotyledonous plants. However, complete loss-of-function reverse genetics analyses for their importance virulence eukaryotic plant pathogens are generally lacking....
Plant cell surface pattern recognition receptors (PRRs) and intracellular immune cooperate to provide immunity microbial infection. Both receptor families have coevolved at an accelerated rate, but the evolution diversification of PRRs is poorly understood. We isolated potato Pep-13 unit (PERU) that senses Pep-13, a conserved immunogenic peptide from plant pathogenic
The genome of the downy mildew pathogen Hyaloperonospora arabidopsidis encodes necrosis and ethylene-inducing peptide 1 (Nep1)-like proteins (NLP). Although NLP are widely distributed in eukaryotic prokaryotic plant pathogens, it was surprising to find these obligate biotrophic oomycete H. arabidopsidis. Therefore, we analyzed (HaNLP) family identified 12 HaNLP genes 15 pseudogenes. Most 27 form an arabidopsidis-specific cluster when compared with other genes, suggesting this class effectors...
Plant-pathogenic oomycetes have a large set of secreted effectors that can be translocated into their host cells during infection. One group these are the RxLR for which it has been shown, in few cases, motif is important translocation. It suggested RxLR-leader sequences alone enough to translocate respective eukaryotic through binding surface-exposed phosphoinositol-3-phosphate. These conclusions were primary based on translocation experiments conducted with recombinant fusion proteins...
Activation of plant pattern-triggered immunity (PTI) relies on the recognition microbe-derived structures, termed patterns, through plant-encoded surface-resident pattern receptors (PRRs). We show that proteobacterial translation initiation factor 1 (IF1) triggers PTI in Arabidopsis thaliana and related Brassicaceae species. Unlike for most other immunogenic IF1 elicitor activity cannot be assigned to a small peptide epitope, suggesting tertiary fold features are required receptor...
Abstract Cell-surface receptors form the front line of plant immunity. The leucine-rich repeat (LRR)-receptor-like kinases SOBIR1 and BAK1 are required for functionality tomato LRR-receptor-like protein Cf-4, which detects secreted effector Avr4 pathogenic fungus Fulvia fulva . Here, we show that kinase domains directly phosphorylate each other residues Thr522 Tyr469 domain Nicotiana benthamiana its activity interacting with signalling partners, respectively. By knocking out multiple genes...
Abstract Carbohydrate-based cell wall signaling impacts plant growth, development, and stress responses; however, how signals are perceived transduced remains poorly understood. Several breakdown products have been described as typical damage-associated molecular patterns (DAMPs) that activate immunity, including pectin-derived oligogalacturonides (OGs). Receptor kinases (RKs) of the WALL-ASSOCIATED KINASE (WAK) family shown to bind pectin OGs, were previously proposed OG receptors. However,...
The BAK1-INTERACTING RECEPTOR-LIKE KINASE (BIR) proteins, including BIR1, are negative regulators of cell death and defense in Arabidopsis. Although BIR1 is upregulated during viral infections, its role virus remains unclear. Here, we demonstrate a conserved for the BIR family as modulators antiviral resistance During tobacco rattle (TRV) infection, gene expression regulated by antagonistic interactions between salicylic acid (SA) jasmonic (JA) signaling pathways. Genetic evidence shows that...
Conventional plant resistance breeding has primarily focused on intracellular immune receptors, while cell-surface pattern recognition receptors (PRRs) have been underexplored due to their comparatively modest contributions resistance. However, PRRs offer significant untapped potential for crop improvement. In this study, we demonstrate that the Arabidopsis receptor-like protein RLP23, which recognizes molecular patterns from three distinct microbial kingdoms, confers broad-spectrum when...