Dr. Jinyi Zhu
Research Focus
Four fungal effectors with antimicrobial activities have been identified thus far in the species Verticillium dahliae. Antimicrobial effectors are likely under strong evolutionary pressure as they shape fungal competition in microbial communities and contribute to host colonization efficiency, thus acting as key determinants of fungal fitness. The overall aim of this project is to use a predictive approach to identify antimicrobial effectors secreted by a ubiquitous family of soil-borne fungi, and functionally characterize antimicrobial effectors with a strong influence on microbial communities in soil. We will especially focus on effectors inducing changes in communities that are soil-specific, thereby playing a role in edaphic adaptation, and/or that impact plant performance.
