A. Harant

Bioengineering a plant NLR immune receptor with a robust binding interface towards a conserved fungal pathogen effector

The paper bioengineers a plant NLR receptor to recognize a conserved fungal effector, resulting in durable resistance against blast fungus isolates.

Multiple horizontal mini-chromosome transfers drive genome evolution of clonal blast fungus lineages

The paper identifies horizontal mini-chromosome transfers in clonal blast fungus lineages, showing genetic exchange between host-associated isolates.

A root-specific NLR network confers resistance to plant parasitic nematodes

The paper identifies a root-specific NLR gene cluster in tomato that confers resistance to nematodes and evolved from an ancient NRC network.

Resurrection of plant disease resistance proteins via helper NLR bioengineering

A helper NLR is mutated to evade inhibition by a parasite effector, restoring disease resistance gene activity.

Wild grass isolates of Magnaporthe (Syn. Pyricularia) spp. from Germany can cause blast disease on cereal crops

The paper identifies wild grass hosts of the blast fungus Magnaporthe in Germany, showing their potential to infect cereal crops and spread disease.

A pandemic clonal lineage of the wheat blast fungus

The paper identifies a pandemic clonal lineage of the wheat blast fungus that originated in South America and spread to Asia and Africa, showing it can be controlled by Rmg8 but may develop fungicide resistance and recombine with African lineages.

An atypical NLR protein modulates the NRC immune receptor network

The paper identifies NRCX, an atypical NRC family member, and shows it modulates the NRC immune receptor network by affecting plant growth and hypersensitive responses.

The helper NLR immune protein NRC3 mediates the hypersensitive cell death caused by the cell-surface receptor Cf-4

The paper identifies NRC3 as an NLR protein required for hypersensitive cell death triggered by the PRR Cf-4 in response to the fungal effector Avr4.

Two NLR immune receptors acquired high-affinity binding to a fungal effector through convergent evolution of their integrated domain

The paper reconstructs the evolutionary history of rice NLR receptors Pik-1 and Pik-2, showing their HMA domain evolved convergent high-affinity binding to the fungal effector AVR-PikD.

A vector system for fast-forward in vivo studies of the ZAR1 resistosome in the model plant Nicotiana benthamiana

The paper introduces a vector system of 52 plasmids for studying the ZAR1 resistosome in Nicotiana benthamiana, confirming NbZAR1 as the ortholog and demonstrating its functional properties.

An N-terminal motif in NLR immune receptors is functionally conserved across distantly related plant species

The paper identifies a conserved N-terminal motif in plant NLR immune receptors and shows its functional conservation across species.