On December 17, 2024, the Dept. of Plant Pathology and Microbiology at National Taiwan University (NTU) invited Prof. Ken Shirasu, Group Leader of the Plant Immunity Research Group at the RIKEN Center for Sustainable Resource Science, Japan, to deliver a lecture titled "Learning from genomes: insights into Colletotrichum virulence." Prof. Shirasu's laboratory focuses on studying plant immune mechanisms, small molecules that regulate plant immunity and their targets, pathogen virulence genes/metabolites, and rhizosphere microorganisms that promote plant immunity and growth. His work also includes genomic studies on strawberry anthracnose pathogen and the parasitic plant Striga.
The lecture primarily introduced how the plant pathogenic fungus Colletotrichum spp. utilizes turgor pressure through its appressoria to penetrate the host surface, revealing key mechanisms involved in the formation of semi-permeable cell walls. Through reverse genetics, Prof. Shirasu and his team identified the PKS2 and PBG13 genes, which produce enzymes responsible for synthesizing 3,5-dihydroxyhexanoic acid polymers. These polymers play a critical role in the semi-permeability of the cell wall. Deletion of these genes completely abolishes the turgor pressure and pathogenicity of the fungus, without affecting melanization, providing a new theoretical basis for understanding the infection mechanism of anthracnose fungi and opening up new directions for disease management.
This lecture was made possible through the scholarly exchange program supported by Academia Sinica, providing an opportunity for the department to invite Prof. Shirasu to engage with faculty, students, and researchers. This also provided students with the opportunity to interact with a world-renowned expert in plant immunity, enriching their learning experience and fostering valuable academic exchanges.