Department of Molecular Biology

A. Chloroplast-nucleus communication in plant immunity

Primary research goal for this research focus is to illuminate the dynamic contribution of organelles and their interaction in plant cells, in response to the environmental stress including microbial pathogen infection.

In particular, we are interested in pathogen’s disturbance of host organelle function and inter-organellar communication in host cells in plant innate immunity. Our understanding of the involvements of organelles in the plant-microbe interactions will contribute to protecting crop plants from their pathogenic microbes for our food security.

B. Target autophagy to regulate fungal disease

Autophagy is an evolutionally conserved cellular process to maintain homeostasis in eukaryotes. Double-membraned autophagosomes engulf cytosolic cargoes to deliver them to the lysosome or vacuole for degradation and/or recycling. Autophagy implicates in a variety of biological processes and disease developments.

We developed Bioluminescence Resonance Energy Transfer (BRET)-based high throughput chemical screening to regulate autophagic activity in fungal pathogen. The lead compounds have huge potential as new fungicides and antifungal agents.