Ken Shirasu

Please check the latest from our lab! Root-fungus senses host nutrient status, determining its infection strategies!

The Bart Lab at UC Berkeley is looking for a postdoc. Please share!

Dihydroxyhexanoic acid biosynthesis controls turgor in pathogenic fungi Many plant pathogenic fungi penetrate host surfaces mechanically, using turgor pressure generated by specialized infection cells called appressoria. These appressoria develop semipermeable cell walls ...

Out in @science.org this week, two fungal enzymes synthesise DHHA, which controls cell wall porosity and turgor in plant pathogenic fungi www.science.org/doi/10.1126/...

#mycology
#plantscience

NSF seeks public input on its Fiscal Year (FY) 2026–2030 NSF Strategic Plan

NSF needs to hear from you. Among other points, I suggested: keep politics out of science; stop using the threat of cancelling scientific grants to try to control universities; increase NSF funding for fundamental research. Pls send around. Deadline is January 27. Thanks
www.nsf.gov/od/updates/n...

The molecular basis of the binding and specific activation of rhizobial NodD by flavonoids The specific partnership between legumes and rhizobia relies on a chemical dialogue. Plant flavonoids activate the bacterial transcription factor NodD, which triggers production of Nod factors that ar...

In @science.org this week:
The interaction between flavonoids and rhizobial Nod factors during legume symbiosis

www.science.org/doi/10.1126/...
#plantscience

Horizontal acquisition of nicotine catabolism gene cluster drives the assembly of tobacco root microbiota community https://www.biorxiv.org/content/10.64898/2025.12.24.696441v1

Many thanks to the editors for the invitation. Free access tᴏ the article: authors.elsevier.com/a/1mIlz3PtAV...

Well done, Bruno!

I’m excited to share a new preprint from Carella group #CarellaCapybaras! biorxiv.org/content/10.6...
In this study, we show molecular co-evolution of two popular nonhost resistance genes in plants, RAR1 and SGT1, in ferns. For a quick read before Christmas, here’s the thread:

The evolutionary mysteries of a rare parasitic plant New study maps the strange genomes of Asia-Pacific Balanophora species, giving new insights into the evolution of parasitic plants and an unconventional role of plastids.

The rare, mushroom-like Balanophora plant surprises researchers with their genetic makeup and unconventional role of plastids in biosynthesis, despite being entirely parasitic of a select few trees. New study in @newphyt.bsky.social 👇 www.oist.jp/news-center/...

植物の“センサー”を探る研究者が目指すもの 2025年9月に科学雑誌『Science』に発表された、植物の免疫受容体「SCORE」の発見。SCOREは85%以上の細菌やカビ、昆虫に共通する「低温ショックタンパク質（CSP）」を検知し、免疫反応を誘導します。

www.riken.jp/pr/closeup/2...

How do plants fight disease? 🌱 #NASmember Jane Parker studies NLR proteins that help plants sense attackers and launch powerful immune defenses. She shares her latest findings on how these proteins signal plants to resist disease in a new @pnas.org QnAs: www.pnas.org/doi/10.1073/...

Name badges all ready for kick off at the Stromlo Plant Pathogen (and Pests!) conference in Canberra at @biologyanu.bsky.social #strompath2025

Privileged to have @yasukadota.bsky.social present at the Stromlo conference on the SCORE receptors … brilliant story. #strompath25

Transposable elements are vectors of recurrent transgenerational epigenetic inheritance DNA methylation loss at transposable elements (TEs) can affect neighboring genes and be epigenetically inherited in plants, yet the determinants and significance of this additional system of inheritan...

Out First Release in @science.org this week:

A large scale analysis of the epigenetics of transposable elements in Arabidopsis shows transgenerational stability

www.science.org/doi/10.1126/...

#PlantScience

How parasitic plants avoid being parasitized | Plantae It’s not too difficult to envision how a plant recognizes something very different from itself, like a bacterium, oomycete, or fungus. It’s a bit less obvious how a plant recognizes another plant as…

Plant Science Research Weekly -- How parasitic plants avoid being parasitized (Science) @shirasulab.bsky.social (Summary by Mary Williams @PlantTeaching.bsky.social) buff.ly/KEgzFe5

#PlantaePSRW

Congrats, Tatsuya!

An illuminated Corpus Clock, featuring a large golden chronophage (time-eater) on top, located at Corpus Christi College, Cambridge. The clock face is intricately designed with multiple circular layers and glowing lights.

In case you missed it, the clocks went back last night in the UK 🕰️

Do you think Chronophage at @corpuscambridge.bsky.social is enjoying the extra hour?

📸 Lloyd Mann

Carnivorous plants lack genes to host arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi When friends abandon them, some plants go on a killing spree.

botany.one/2025/10/carn...

Read PCP Editors Satoko Yoshida and Takayuki Tohge's exciting collaborative work on parasitic plants (below).

And watch out for PCP's upcoming special issue on #ParasiticPlants (organised by Satoko Yoshida, Atsushi Okazawa, Thomas Spallek and Kaori Yoneyama) - out next year...!

www.youtube.com/watch?v=Eswp...

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.

Glucosylation of endogenous haustorium-inducing factors underpins kin avoidance in parasitic plants Parasitic plants rarely attack themselves, suggesting the existence of a kin-avoidance mechanism. In the root parasitic plant Phtheirospermum japonicum, prehaustorium formation is triggered by host-se...

Simon's mutant finally published! Well done, Satoko' lab with Harro, Tobimatsu, Tohge collaborations. Glucosylation of endogenous haustorium-inducing factors underpins kin avoidance in parasitic plants | Science www.science.org/doi/10.1126/...

Orobanche cumana in the USA!

I had the honour of giving a talk at the Biochemical Society conference and finally received the medal. Grateful once again to everyone who made this possible! #BiochemEvent

Pomelo on tatami as the cover of RIKEN Research www.riken.jp/medialibrary...

In Other Journals Editors’ selections from the current scientific literature

In Other Journals | Science www.science.org/doi/10.1126/...

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

Rewriting the code of plant immunity go.nature.com/475WgV7

These ‘ghost flowers’ thrive without photosynthesis. One scientist is learning how Japanese botanist Kenji Suetsugu studies plants that steal carbon and nutrients from soil fungi

Seeking ghosts www.science.org/content/arti...