Department/Institute: LMU Faculty of Biology, Genetics

Subject areas/Research fields: Biology: Molecular biology, microbiology; Agricultural sciences: Plant protection

Keywords: RNA interference, extracellular RNAs, RNA-binding proteins

Supervisor: Silke Robatzek

Funding: DFG-funded RU5116: https://www.biologie.uni-hamburg.de/en/forschung/forschungsverbuende/dfg-ru5116.html

Project title: The role of Hfq and exRNAs in plant infections with Xylella fastidiosa

Project description: Xylella fastidiosa (Xf), a xylem-infecting bacterial pathogen of many crops, releases extracellular vesicles (EVs). We demonstrated that Xf-EVs carry RNA (evRNAs) of various biotypes and are decorated with non-ribosomal RNA-binding proteins (RBPs). This project will investigate the loading of evRNAs, focusing on the RNA-binding protein Hfq, the potential delivery of evRNAs to recipient cells, and the role of corresponding predicted plant target genes in the outcome of X. fastidiosa infection.

References:

https://nph.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/full/10.1111/nph.18089

https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/pbi.13629

https://www.biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2024.06.25.600702v1

For further information, please contact: Silke Robatzek (robatzek@bio.lmu.de)

Research group website: https://robatzeklab.org/

Apply: Please send your application through the online portal of the Graduate School Life Science Munich (LSM)