In our latest study, we took a critical look at #fungal family #Nectriaceae by analyzing 1,530 #genomes! We built a robust #phylogenomic backbone that supports current taxonomy but also reveals gene-tree discordance and unresolved boundaries. More info www.biorxiv.org/content/10.6...

📣 Now announcing the journal publication 📄 of our work in @newphyt.bsky.social on how Verticillium undermines the plant's 🌱 "cry for help": terrific work by @antonkraege.bsky.social & @wolki95.bsky.social doi.org/10.1111/nph....

I’m very happy to see my fist article now officially published 🥳 great work by my partner in crime @wolki95.bsky.social and the rest of @teamthomma.bsky.social! Find it here: doi.org/10.1111/nph.... or have a look at the 🧵⬇️

It’s been 14 years since I uploaded a video on YouTube showing that Striga does not infect other members of the Orobanchaceae family.JSPS Fellow Simon came to Japan and carried out mutant screening to find mechanism and it was 10 years ago that the mutant was finally obtained. A long journey.

📣 New @biorxiv-microbiol.bsky.social preprint, another joint-venture of @wolki95.bsky.social & @antonkraege.bsky.social, co-directed by @nicksnelders.bsky.social. Here’s a 🧵

Our latest work is out! We set out to see if we could recreate soil-nurturing plant growth in vitro. The plants looked happy and we see microbiome-induced cell-type-specific responses! A modest step but a fun challenge 😁

New PhD opportunity in my group @thesainsburylab.bsky.social through the BBSRC NRP DTP Programme - see details of host to apply below biodtp.norwichresearchpark.ac.uk/projects/van...

New opportunity to undertake a PhD in my group ⁦‪at the John Innes Centre - if you’re interested in plant immunity and evolution check out the link!

We are pleased to announce the release of our special issue, “Diverse Symbiotic Relationships between Plants and Microbes in the Phyllosphere and Rhizosphere,” now available in Plant Biotechnology (open access)! www.jstage.jst.go.jp/browse/plant...

We’re delighted to share that our paper has been just accepted in PCP! We analyzed fungus–fungus competition that suppresses pathogenic colonization in Arabidopsis roots.Special thanks to Duke, Hiroyuki, Yuki, Nanami, and everyone who contributed! t.co/obQyD1rzI1

I am happy to see this out! Plant-microbe relationship (mutualistic, commensalistic, parasitic) is not fixed, but rather dynamic, depending on the specific context. We summarize the current knowledge on this. Hope you enjoy~ www.jstage.jst.go.jp/article/plan...

We proudly present a new preprint by Leon Pierdzig et al: Wall teichoic acids, glycopolymers specific to Gram-positive bacteria, trigger defense and cell death in Arabidopsis. Cysteine-rich RLKs act as key components in their perception. doi.org/10.1101/2025...

updated preprint: Intriguingly, Arabidopsis responded with both, improved growth and enhanced defence to a maize-conditioned soil microbiome, and this dual microbiome feedbacks were mediated by priming of the defences. Credits to Katja Stengele et al.! www.biorxiv.org/content/10.1...

WIND1 controls cell fate transition through histone acetylation and deacetylation during somatic embryogenesis https://www.biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2025.08.07.669221v1

Nitrogen acquisition and selective bacterial attraction through fungal hyphae promote plant growth and health under nitrogen limitation https://www.biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2025.08.05.668771v1

We have posted our latest preprint. We explore how an endophytic fungus promotes plant growth and fitness under fluctuating nitrogen-limited conditions in both field and laboratory settings, in additively with bacteria attracted to its hyphae. We hope you enjoy it!

Here comes the final version. Congratulations Erika, Yasu, Ken, and all others involved! @yasukadota.bsky.social @shirasulab.bsky.social www.science.org/doi/10.1126/...

I'm very happy that this paper is now published in PNAS! Isochorismate-based salicylic acid biosynthesis appears to have emerged in the Brassicales after the divergence of C. papaya, likely within the timeframe between the divergence of B. maritima and R. odorata. www.pnas.org/doi/10.1073/...

Huge thanks to the amazing team at @currentbiology.bsky.social for highlighting fungi in this special issue. Many excellent reviews and perspectives from so many mycological heroes. Lots of great material to use in teaching/outreach. 🍄

Saprotrophy-to-symbiosis continuum in fungi I enjoyed writing this piece with Tan Hao for the Current Biology special issue on Fungi www.sciencedirect.com/science/arti...

Our newest special issue is now live! Check it out to discover more about diverse and beautiful Fungi🍄🍄‍🟫🍄 On the cover: the fly agaric, Amanita muscaria, releasing its spores in the early morning light. www.cell.com/current-biol...

Congratulations to Uta Paszkowski from @cropscicentre.bsky.social - elected to the National Academy of Sciences, USA in recognition of her significant contributions to understanding symbiotic relationships between plants & fungi. @cambridgebiosci.bsky.social @paszkowskilab.bsky.social

Plant Science Research Weekly -- Friend or Foe? How fungi switch between helping and harming plants (Current Biology) @rujimatsu.bsky.social @keihiruma.bsky.social (Summary by Carlos González Sanz) buff.ly/xfa7e93 #PlantaePSRW

New Pre-print! Pseudomonas virulence factor SaxA detoxifies plant glucosinolate hydrolysis products, rescuing a commensal that suppresses virulence gene expression doi.org/10.1101/2025... Driven by Kerstin Unger, we find that a "virulence factor" has cool roles in microbe-microbe interactions

New paper in Microbiome (with fancy summary video): doi.org/10.1186/s401... 1. Many bacteria can realistically transition from soil to mature leaves. 2. Early stages post-germination shape colonization processes and diversity. 3. P-M-M interactions affect mostly deterministic colonzers. Enjoy!

Plant Science Research Weekly April 25 plantae.org/plant-scienc... (2/2) Cryptic giant virus infection; A fungal switch between ally and aggressor; Stopping citrus greening with peptide therapy; A mechanosensitive ion channel helps parasitic plants clamp down.

Story behind our recent paper on tandem kinases is out! Written by @yichangsung.bsky.social. #MPMI #PlantBiology www.nature.com/articles/s41...

I'm looking for a mycorrhiza-motivated PhD student to start this project, fully funded by a Rank Prize Lord Selborne Scholarship, in October 2025 - please contact me via email for more information and forward on to potentially interested people... www.findaphd.com/phds/project...

We have identified a fungal transcription factor, CtBOT6, as a key regulator of the diverse lifestyles exhibited by the root-associated endophyte Colletotrichum tofieldiae along the mutualism–parasitism continuum. Congratulation on @rujimatsu.bsky.social‬! www.cell.com/current-biol...

We present MetaFlowTrain, an easy-to-build, highly parallelized, and cost-effective fluidic system for studying microbial exometabolites and their roles in modulating microbe–microbe–host interactions. Kudos to @chesneau-g.bsky.social @mpipz.bsky.social Give it a try: www.nature.com/articles/s41...

Thrilled to share my first paper published at Current biology!! We found that the expression level of one single transcription factor converts beneficial root endophyte into pathogenic guy😈 (1/8) www.cell.com/current-biol...