Mechanisms and Consequences of Organelle Targeting by Fungal Effectors

This project will be supervised by Alga Zuccaro at the University of Cologne. 

Abstract: 

The Zuccaro Lab at the University of Cologne and CEPLAS is recruiting a highly motivated PhD candidate to investigate how secreted fungal effectors reach and modulate plant organelles during beneficial root colonization. Recent work in our group has revealed that several effectors from Serendipita indica accumulate inside plastids and influence key metabolic and immune processes. This project will build on these findings to uncover the molecular rules that guide effector trafficking, identify the host factors that support their import and processing, and determine how their concerted presence within plastids shapes host physiology, stress resilience and the success of the mutualistic interaction.

The PhD candidate will use a combination of molecular biology, live cell imaging, quantitative proteomics, metabolomics and plant genetics to dissect effector mechanisms from the protein to the whole plant level. The project offers the opportunity to work at the interface of plant–microbe interactions, organelle biology and effector evolution within a collaborative and interdisciplinary environment.

We welcome applicants with backgrounds in molecular plant and/or fungal biology, microbiology, biochemistry or related fields who are enthusiastic about mechanistic research and eager to contribute to a growing framework for organelle centered effector biology.

Group homepage: https://ag-zuccaro.botanik.uni-koeln.de/

Key publication: Dunken, N., Widmer, H., Balcke, G. U., Straube, H., Langen, G., Charura, N. M., et al. (2024) A nucleoside signal generated by a fungal endophyte regulates host cell death and promotes root colonization. Cell Host Microbe. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.chom.2024.10.020