Research Projects

The study focuses on the vascular wilt caused by Fusarium oxysporum f.sp. lycopersici (Fol), a hemibiotrophic fungus with high genetic variability and long-lasting soil survival. Current management practices have little impact on Fol's wilt, necessitating the development of alternative protection strategies targeting the pathogen or its host interacting partner genes. Fow2, a class 3 zinc-binding transcription factor protein, was identified as a potential candidate pathogenesis-related transcription regulator gene. Fow2 is essential for root tissue invasion and colonization but not root attachment. However, its interacting targets remain unknown. The researchers hypothesize that Fow2's interacting targets regulate the expression of novel effectors for Fol virulence. The study proposes identifying and functionally characterizing Fow2's interacting targets to investigate their roles during vascular wilt development. This will provide experimental evidence for developing an efficient antifungal agent-screening system for identifying direct inhibitors of TF-partner interactions and offer new insights for formulating novel antifungal molecules. The study will also help distinguish direct target effector genes specific for fungal virulence from pleiotropic effects resulting from gene deletion.