Plant Pathology

Prof. Mike Boehm

PLANT PATHOLOGY

Investigating wheat anther chemistry and microbial communities in Fusarium head blight 

Fusarium head blight (FHB), caused by Fusarium graminearum, reduces wheat yield and grain quality and can contaminate grain with mycotoxins. Wheat anthers—the pollen-producing structures of flowers—provide an important site for pathogen infection and colonization by beneficial microorganisms. Research in the Boehm laboratory investigates how anther emergence and retention, floral chemistry, and associated microbial communities interact to influence disease susceptibility and biological control. A central question is whether differences in these characteristics among wheat varieties can help explain variation in disease and improve its prediction and management. In this REU project, students will investigate anther-associated microbiology and anther chemistry in different wheat varieties, to compare microbial composition and diversity as well as metabolite profiles among wheat varieties. Using resources from the ongoing research program, students will gain experience in experimental design, laboratory methods, data analysis, and preparation of abstracts and research posters.

Prof. Teddy Garcia-Aroca

PLANT PATHOLOGY

Characterizing soil-borne fungal pathogens composition, evolution and prevalence across ecosystems

Soil-borne fungal plant pathogens are a significant concern in agriculture and natural ecosystems as they can lead to substantial crop losses and affect plant health and biodiversity. Studying their distribution and diversity is crucial for understanding their ecological roles, predicting disease outbreaks, and developing effective management strategies. In this research project, students will collect soil samples from managed/agricultural fields (i.e. soybean, corn, and potato) and unmanaged ecosystems in Nebraska to isolate fungal isolates and assess and quantify pathogen diversity and prevalence by Internal Transcribed Spacer (ITS) region barcoding using phylogenetics and population genetics approaches.

Prof. Hernan Garcia-Ruiz

PLANT PATHOLOGY

Unraveling plant susceptibility to viruses

Research in the Plant Virology Laboratory focuses on understanding the molecular mechanisms of plant-virus interactions, specifically identifying and characterizing plant genes, determining susceptibility to viruses, deciphering antiviral immunity in plants, and gaining insight into the mechanisms of pathogenicity in viruses. In this REU site, students will use a combination of genetic, genomic, and bioinformatic approaches to identify and characterize plant susceptibility genes to plant viruses and with antiviral activity, as well as identify and characterize silencing suppressors in plant viruses and non-viral pathogens.

Prof. Saet-Byul Kim

PLANT PATHOLOGY

Identifying genes conferring resistance to rust pathogens in corn

Corn rust diseases, caused by the obligate biotrophic fungi Puccinia sorghi and Puccinia polysora are among the most significant diseases in corn and a critical area of study in plant pathology. In this REU site, students will inoculate corn progeny lines with P. polysora and will use genetic markers to genotype those lines and associate genotypes with resistance or susceptible phenotypes. In parallel to investigating the genetic basis of resistance in corn, students will also contribute to gaining insight into P. polysora pathogenesis by cloning fungal genes as translational fusions to the gene encoding the green fluorescent protein (GFP) to evaluate their subcellular localization in plants. 

Prof. Tom Powers

PLANT PATHOLOGY

Exploring the application of native Entomopathogenic Nematodes for the suppression of insect pests in Nebraska

Entomopathogenic Nematodes (EPNs) have a unique method of attacking larval insects by using a tiny tooth that allows them to penetrate membranous tissue on the body. Once inside the body, the nematodes disgorge endosymbiotic bacteria, which release paralysis toxins. Bacterial and nematode replication inside insect bodies cause their demise. Research in our lab has been exploring this process to determine if endemic EPNs have different traits that influence their infectivity, host selection, and habitat persistence. We have developed molecular methods to rapidly determine nematode identity and their geographic distribution.  Students engaged in these studies will learn light and scanning electron microscopy, EPN culturing, soil baiting of EPNs, and DNA barcoding.  

Dr. Clemencia Rojas

PLANT PATHOLOGY

Identifying bacterial virulence factors targeting plant vesicle trafficking pathways underlying defense responses

The plant pathogenic bacterium Pseudomonas syringae causes disease in a wide range of plants. To cause disease, this pathogen injects bacterial proteins into the plant cytoplasm, but the specific function of those proteins enabling disease is still unknown. In this REU, students will evaluate how bacteria proteins interfere with the function of plant proteins that are part of the plant defense apparatus.

Dr. Karrie Weber

SCHOOL OF BIOLOGICAL SCIENCES

Understanding viral and microbial communities in the maize rhizosphere and soils

Description TBA

Dr. Richard Wilson

PLANT PATHOLOGY

Elucidating the integration of growth in living plant cells with host innate immunity suppression by the rice blast fungus Magnaporthe oryzae

Magnaporthe oryzae is a fungal pathogen causing a devastating disease in rice. During plant infection, M. oryzae intracellular invasive hyphae that are wrapped in host-derived membranes, forming an interface for deploying plant-immune suppressing protein effectors and for exchanging nutrients.  The students involved with this REU project will help generate and/ or characterize mutant strains of M. oryzae, which lack genes required for balancing fungal growth with plant defense suppression.

Dr. Lirong Zeng

PLANT PATHOLOGY

Pinpointing XBAT35.2-mediated ubiquitination sites in VPS37-1 and VPS28-2 during FLS2 endocytosis

Pattern-triggered immunity (PTI) is a cornerstone of plant and animal immune systems, activated through the recognition of pathogen-associated molecular patterns by pattern-recognition receptors (PRRs). The plant FLAGELLIN-SENSING 2 (FLS2) PRR plays a central role in defense against bacterial pathogens. Tight regulation of FLS2 homeostasis is essential for robust and timely PTI. Research in our lab revealed that the stability of FLS2 is positively regulated by the RING-type ubiquitin ligase XBAT35.2 by targeting VPS37-1 and VPS28-2, two components of the endosomal sorting complex required for transport-I (ESCRT-I), that remains poorly understood. The undergraduate student participating in this project will transiently co-express XBAT35.2-3xHA with either VPS37-1-FLAG or VPS28-2-FLAG in Arabidopsis Col-0 protoplasts, for immunoprecipitation and high-resolution liquid chromatography–tandem mass spectrometry (LC-MS/MS) to identify ubiquitination sites. Those sites will be further validated by site-directed mutagenesis.