Sophien Kamoun

This study identifies tissue-specific NLR expression patterns across legume species using phylogenomics and transcriptomics.

This study shows how a plant pathogen effector blocks the stepwise assembly of a helper NLR resistosome by stabilizing an intermediate state.

The paper identifies conserved sensor-helper NLR interfaces in the NRC immune receptor network and validates their role in immune activation through structural and functional studies.

The paper introduces SNI, a framework to identify atypical protein assemblies, and applies it to NLRs, finding an undecameric assembly in NRC7 orthologs.

This study identifies NRG1 as a plant NLR receptor that targets chloroplasts to trigger immunity by channeling stromal calcium into the cytosol, revealing a novel mechanism for organelle-specific immune signaling.

Activated wheat CCG10-NLR immune receptor WAI3 and Arabidopsis RPS2 assemble into octameric calcium-permeable resistosomes with an inverted coiled-coil domain topology associated with lacking the conserved EDVID motif.

This study determines the structural basis of broad recognition by the Arabidopsis NLR WRR4A, revealing a shape-based mechanism that enables recognition of diverse effectors with similar three-dimensional architectures.

The paper develops and characterizes three new polycistronic constructs for producing yellow and fluorescent betaxanthins in plants.

The paper investigates the evolution of APikL virulence effectors in the blast fungus by combining ancestral reconstruction and functional assays, finding that only one substitution expanded host binding while others were deleterious.

The paper shows that the rice NLR pair Pik-1 and Pik-2 forms a hetero-oligomeric complex at the plasma membrane in the resting state before effector activation.

The study shows that autoactive mutants of tomato NRC proteins still induce cell death in prf mutants and in lettuce, indicating a unidirectional dependency in the NRC immune network.

AlphaFold 3 oligomer models separate paired plant NLRs: helpers score higher pTM and form funnel-shaped resistosomes unlike sensors, including some rice pairs lacking integrated-domain annotations.

This paper identifies an effector from Phytophthora infestans that bridges NbTOL9a to an activated NLR to suppress immunity, revealing a novel structural and functional mechanism.

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

This study identifies Pwl2 as a virulence factor in the rice blast fungus that suppresses host immunity by altering the localization of HIPP43.

The paper shows that NRC3 evolved to resist suppression by a nematode effector, revealing a new type of gene-for-gene interaction between pathogens and host immune receptors.

The paper analyzes NLR evolution in lettuce and related species, finding that sensor NLRs evolve faster than helper NLRs and that sensor diversification is linked to helper dependency.

This study determines the structure of sensor-activated NbNRC2 using cryo-EM, revealing a hexameric resistosome and highlighting structural changes during NLR activation.

This study shows how the helper NLR NRC2 converts from a homodimer to a higher-order oligomer upon activation by the sensor NLR Rx, revealing the molecular mechanism of plant immune activation.

The paper shows that the rice NLR-ID receptor Pii2 indirectly recognizes the fungal effector AVR-Pii by dissociating Pii2 from host Exo70 proteins, revealing a novel mechanism of pathogen recognition.

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

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

This study bioengineers proteases to convert Rcr3 orthologs and Pip1 into immune co-receptors that trigger Avr2/Cf-2 dependent immunity in tomato.

The paper identifies a functionally diverse family of Zinc-finger fold effectors in Magnaporthe oryzae, showing functional specialization across host species.

The paper investigates the functional conservation of the NRC0 gene cluster across asterid plants and shows its role in immune responses.

This study reports the diploid genome of the free-living diatom Nitzschia putrida and identifies genetic changes associated with its transition from a photosynthetic to a non-parasitic secondary heterotrophic lifestyle.

This study evaluates how SNP calling parameters affect population genetic analyses in the rice blast fungus, finding minimal impact on key evolutionary inferences despite variations in SNP counts.

The paper identifies and analyzes hypervariable mini-chromosomes in Magnaporthe oryzae isolates from different grass hosts, showing their role in genomic rearrangements and potential adaptive evolution.