Nyasha Charura

In the context of plant-microbe interactions Nyasha's projects can be divided into two main branches, focusing on the beneficial root endophyte Serendipita indica. The first branch addresses the role of plant developmental programmed cell death (dPCD) in microbial colonization and how microbes can manipulate dPCD processes in plant hosts to facilitate fungal accommodation. The second branch investigates different types of potential S. indicaeffector proteins, amongst them effector proteins containing intrinsically unstable prion regions and their effect on plant-microbe interactions. In particular, Nyasha is interested in the S. indica-specific “DELD” protein family and their potential antimicrobial properties. The DELD family consists of 30 genes, encoding small secreted proteins with a conserved histidine rich core and a conserved C-terminal RSIDELD motif. The DELDs experience upregulation in S. indica during interaction with different plant hosts, as well as in direct fungal-fungal interaction with the plant pathogen Bipolaris sorokiniana, suggesting potential dual functions of this protein family.