Zarah Sorger
Research Focus
The main aim of my PhD project is to elucidate the mechanistic basis of the microbial antagonism between a basidiomycete yeast and Albugo laibachii.
The oomycete pathogen Albugo laibachii was identified as a hub microbe in shaping the microbial community of the A. thaliana phyllosphere. The basidiomycete yeast Moesziomyces bullatus ex Albugo on Arabidobsis (short: MbA) inhibits A. laibachii and significantly reduces its virulence. RNA sequencing led to the identification of the glycoside hydrolase GH25, which was shown to be crucial for the antagonism of MbA towards A. laibachii.
In my PhD, I want to unravel the mechanism by which GH25 functions and to identify its substrate. Moreover, I am interested in its evolutionary conversation and aim to explore this by comparing GH25 of MbA with its homologue in U. maydis. Understanding the mechanistic basis of this antagonism might enable the establishment of GH25 as a biocontrol agent.
