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Department of Biology

Department ofBiology

RNA infection Biology of Plants

We are studying the interaction between plants and microbial pathogens. Our goal is to decipher how pathogens achieve infection and what are defence strategies of plants against pathogens. Our focus lies on the role of RNA in regulating plant-pathogen interactions and how RNA can be exploit to improve plant health.

Prof. Dr. Arne Weiberg
Detail Pflanze

Photo: Weiberg Lab

research

abc

Photo: Weiberg lab

Plant-microbe interactions

We investigate the interaction of plants with microbial pathogens on the molecular, cellular and organismal level. Herein, we aim at understanding the underlying mechanisms of pathogen virulence and plant defense.

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Cross-kingdom RNAi

Fungal and oomycete pathogens deliver small RNAs into plants to promote infection. These pathogen small RNAs hijack the host RNAi pathway to silence plant defense genes, a virulence strategy known as cross-kingdom RNAi. We have developed GFP-based cross-kingdom RNAi reporters in plants to visualize RNA delivery in live during infection.

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abc

Photo: Weiberg lab

Extracellular vesicles

Extracellular vesicles (EVs) are 50-500 nm lipid-based nanoparticles that can be found in microbial pathogens, plants and animals. Fungi and plants utilize EVs to transport proteins and RNA across organisms during infection to support infection or host defense.

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