Ke Yu

Keystone Pseudomonas species in the wheat phyllosphere microbiome mitigate Fusarium head blight by altering host pH Fusarium graminearum (F. graminearum) pathogen induces wheat phyllosphere alkalinization, promoting the development of Fusarium head blight (FHB). Xu et al. show that host-acidifying Pseudomonas, sele...

🎉 Check out the latest from Qin Gu’s team at Nanjing Agricultural University: “Keystone Pseudomonas species in the wheat phyllosphere” (Cell Host & Microbe) 👉 www.cell.com/cell-host-mi...

野比君 did not make to the cover, though

13th Utrecht PhD Summer School​ Environmental Signaling in Plants Aug 24-26 2026 Speakers: Laura Ragni, Roeland Berendsen, Mariana Silva Artur, Matthew Paul, Ari Sadanandom, Beatrice Giuntoli, Bruno Guillotin, Priya Ramakrishna, Caroline Gutjahr, Niko Geldner, Laura Bacete and Marcel Beukeboom.

We are beyond excited to reveal the full line-up for our Environmental Signaling in Plants summer school 2026!

Registration is now open here eps.sites.uu.nl - we look forward to seeing you in Utrecht on 24th-26th August!

Together with a team of great colleagues, we edit a collection titled "Harnessing plant microbiomes to improve performance and mechanistic understanding" nature.com/collections/cg… in the journals @natureportfolio.nature.com @microbiomej.bsky.social . It's open for submission till June 2026.

Finally published!
Our new study in Curr Biol @currentbiology.bsky.social analyzes how CYP707A1 promoter variation drives an evolutionary trade-off between stomatal defense and gas exchange across Brassicaceae species.
Free-access link:
authors.elsevier.com/a/1m7H93QW8S...

This is also a follow-up of our previous work focusing on seed hull hardness. It’s the teamwork that counts.
doi.org/10.1002/advs...

Natural variation in FtPME58 contributes to seed hull thickness of Tartary buckwheat Tartary buckwheat holds significant nutritional and health value; however, its hard seed hull limits production and economic potential. This study ide…

Now online. We uncovered a natural allele of PME58 that is associated with thinner see hulls of Tartary buckwheat by influencing pectin content.
www.sciencedirect.com/science/arti...

SALICYLIC ACID SENSOR1 reveals the propagation of an SA hormone surge during plant pathogen advance Salicylic acid (SA) is a key phytohormone that orchestrates immune responses against pathogens, including Pseudomonas syringae bacteria. The timing and extent of SA accumulation are tightly controlled...

FRET sensor for SA developed. www.science.org/doi/10.1126/...

A GmNRF5a–GmCERK1–GmCAK1 module mediates chitin/chitosan‐triggered immune response in soybean In soybeans, the GmNFR5a-GmCERK1-GmCAK1 module regulates immune responses triggered by chitin oligosaccharides and chitosan oligosaccharides from fungal pathogens. This reveals a shared upstream sign...

Now online! A GmNRF5a–GmCERK1–GmCAK1 module mediates chitin/chitosan-triggered immunity. Grateful to be involved, and kudos to first author and friend Dr. Sun Guangzheng, whose continued work has deepened our understanding of oligosaccharide-triggered immunity.
doi.org/10.1111/jipb...

Roots: metabolic architects of beneficial microbiome assembly Abstract. The increasing demand for sustainable agricultural practices has driven a renewed interest in plant–microbiome interactions as a basis for the ne

Roots: metabolic architects of beneficial microbiome assembly (Melissa Uribe-Acosta, Alberto Pascale, Jiayu Zhou, Ioannis A Stringlis, Corné M J Pieterse) doi.org/10.1093/plph... #PlantScience

Localized glutamine leakage drives the spatial structure of root microbial colonization Plant roots release exudates to encourage microbiome assembly, which influences the function and stress resilience of plants. How specific exudates drive spatial colonization patterns remains largely ...

A long road to the Cover of Science!
www.science.org/doi/10.1126/...

Arabidopsis root defense barriers support beneficial interactions with rhizobacterium Pseudomonas simiae WCS417 Plant roots interact with pathogenic and beneficial microbes in the soil. While root defense barriers block pathogens, their roles in facilitating beneficial plant–microbe associations are understud...

Super happy to have our work published in one of my favourite journals @newphyt.bsky.social Amazing effort by Jiayu Zhou and colleagues from @utrechtpmi.bsky.social and UvA. You can find it here: nph.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/... @cornepieterse.bsky.social

Potential and challenges for application of microbiomes in agriculture Abstract. The plant microbiome can promote plant health and productivity through a multitude of mechanisms. Our understanding of plant–microbiome interacti

Our review article on the "Potential and challenges for application of microbiomes in agriculture" is published
@theplantcell.bsky.social [1/n]
doi.org/10.1093/plce...

During Brassicales evolution, plants changed their way to synthesize salicylic acid from PAL pathway to IC pathway.

The time of IC pathway evolution nicely matches our previous publication.

www.pnas.org/doi/10.1073/...

The role of plant receptor-like kinases in sensing extrinsic and host-derived signals and shaping the microbiome Plant receptor-like kinases (RLKs), one of the largest gene families in plants, integrate intrinsic and extrinsic signals to regulate immunity, mutualism, and interactions with microbiota. Here we dis...

The role of plant receptor-like kinases in sensing extrinsic and host-derived signals and shaping the microbiome.

Mini-review by @carahaney.bsky.social and @jumpy-botanist.bsky.social‬

www.cell.com/cell-host-mi...

A receptor antagonist counterbalances multiple systemin phytocytokines in tomato Tight regulation of immune activation is crucial for plant health. How plants control the actions of their immunostimulatory phytocytokines is largely…

Check out this new story from the Felix lab, with some contribution from us:
Receptor antagonist prevents hyperactivation of the plant immune system
www.sciencedirect.com/science/arti...

Oligosaccharide Elicitors in Plant Immunity: Molecular Mechanisms and Disease Resistance Strategies Short Summary: This review examines how oligosaccharide elicitors from pathogens and plants activate immune responses through membrane receptors, detailing their types, functions, and signaling pathwa...

Now online. This work summarizes plant immunity triggered by cell wall–derived molecules from both sides. Happy to be back in immunity and grateful to be involved. Enjoy! www.cell.com/plant-commun...

Final model of the study.

New OA Article: "A root-based N-hydroxypipecolic acid standby circuit to direct immunity and growth of Arabidopsis shoots" rdcu.be/expzb

Root microorganisms can trigger the release of immune-stimulating N-hydroxypipecolic acid from Arabidopsis roots.

Three-step biosynthesis of salicylic acid from benzoyl-CoA in plants - Nature The salicylic acid (SA) biosynthesis pathway—involving ligation of benzoyl coenzyme A and benzyl alcohol to give benzyl benzoate; hydroxylation of benzyl benzoate to give benzyl salicylate; and cleava...

Three back-to-back Salicylic Acid biosynthesis papers 1/3 www.nature.com/articles/s41...

Emergence of isochorismate-based salicylic acid biosynthesis within Brassicales | PNAS Salicylic acid (SA) is a major defense phytohormone. In Arabidopsis thaliana, the isochorismate (IC) pathway is the primary route for pathogen-indu...

Love the work! Really nice design. Congrats to @kenichitsuda.bsky.social team.
Emergence of isochorismate-based salicylic acid biosynthesis within Brassicales | PNAS www.pnas.org/doi/10.1073/...

Coumarin-facilitated iron transport: an IRT1 independent strategy for iron acquisition in Arabidopsis thaliana #research #PlantCommunications cell.com/plant-commun...

A little bit of sunshine after the rain. Nice for field work.

Really nice work from @jellespooren.bsky.social showing that disease-suppressive soils might sometimes be generated in the phyllosphere. Turning the concept of soilborne legacies upside down 🌱🦠 With @cornepieterse.bsky.social @svanwees.bsky.social and others @utrechtpmi.bsky.social

Last week, our latest @biorxivpreprint.bsky.social preprint was released, a joint-venture of @antonkraege.bsky.social & @wolki95.bsky.social and co-directed by @nicksnelders.bsky.social a 🧵

A near‐gapless genome assembly of Pseudocydonia sinensis uncovers unique phenylpropanoid pathways Pseudocydonia sinensis, commonly known as Chinese quince, belongs to the Rosaceae family and is closely related to apple and pear. Despite its botanical significance, genomic resources for this speci....

A small contribution, but glad to be part of this great collaboration. Enjoy! onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/full/10....

Webinar Alert🌱
Want to learn cutting-edge studies in plant-microbe interaction? Join our webinar "Advances in Plant-Microbe Interactions: Insights from Asia to the World" with
@elifecommunity.bsky.social !
📅 May 19, 2025 | 🕝 JST 14:30–17:20 (UTC+9)
📌Register: u-tokyo-ac-jp.zoom.us/webinar/regi...

Hoping it grows into something worthwhile.

A fungal transcription factor converts a beneficial root endophyte into an anthracnose leaf pathogen Endophytic fungi colonize healthy plant tissues without disease. Ujimatsu et al. reveal that the fungal transcription factor CtBOT6 triggers the virulence of a root-associated beneficial endophyte by ...

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...

I am happy to introduce this bioRxiv. Stomatal opening is crucial for gas exchange, but it unavoidably offers invasion by pathogens. We found that by coronatine (COR), Pto DC3000 exploits CYP707A1 activation in Arabidopsis thaliana, encoding an enzyme that degrades ABA, for stomatal invasion.

A CRY1–HY5–MYB signaling cascade fine-tunes guard cell reactive oxygen species levels and triggers stomatal opening The Arabidopsis blue-light receptor CRY1 and its downstream HY5 protein optimize daytime stomatal conductance through spatiotemporal control of flavonols a

My first ever Plant Cell paper (not first author or senior author though) is now online. Happy to have contributed. Enjoy! academic.oup.com/plcell/advan...