Lightnews — Scholar-powered news

Reposted by Hee-Kyung Ahn

bioRxiv Molecular Biology @biorxiv-molbio.bsky.social · 1d

Synchronous spatio-temporal control of autophagy and organelle trafficking is necessary for appressorium-mediated plant infection by Magnaporthe oryzae https://www.biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2025.10.06.680644v1

1 2

Reposted by Hee-Kyung Ahn

Biochemical Society @biochemsoc.bsky.social · 9h

Neill Friedman started his PhD in biochemistry at age 55. His inspiring journey shows it's never too late to begin again, read about his experience as a mature student now! 🧪 https://doi.org/10.1042/bio_2025_144

2 12

Hee-Kyung Ahn @hee-kyung-ahn.bsky.social · 5h

Yes, exactly! Well I remember learning Darwin's phototropism experiment in high school, Korean biology curriculum had that, although they didn't say it's canary grass, just coleoptiles 😅

Reposted by Hee-Kyung Ahn

John Innes Centre @johninnescentre.bsky.social · 5h

Applications are now OPEN for the JIF Rotation PhD Programme

This prestigious 4-year #PhD programme trains graduate students in Plant and Microbial Sciences at the JIC, @thesainsburylab.bsky.social and @earlhaminst.bsky.social.

🗓️ Closing date - 13 November 2025

www.jic.ac.uk/training-car...

Rotation biology PhDs | John Innes Centre

Prestigious studentships, for entry in October 2022, this multi-disciplinary PhD programme includes; plant science, microbiology, biological chemistry, applied mathematics…

www.jic.ac.uk

5 4

Hee-Kyung Ahn @hee-kyung-ahn.bsky.social · 5h

I quite enjoyed reading 'Darwin's most wonderful plants' which I think should be read more!!

1 3

Hee-Kyung Ahn @hee-kyung-ahn.bsky.social · 5h

Congrats to Menke Zhou in Halliday lab! @instmolplantsci.bsky.social

bioRxiv Plant Bio @biorxiv-plants.bsky.social · 1d

PHYTOCHROME INTERACTING FACTOR 7 moderates the activity and the cytosolic-nuclear shuttling of PHYTOCHROME A https://www.biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2025.10.07.680213v1

1 2

Reposted by Hee-Kyung Ahn

Carolyn Rasmussen @carolynplants.bsky.social · 2d

Excited to share this preprint on the microtubule severing protein Katanin, and its role in cell elongation and division in maize. First author Stephanie Martinez worked collaboratively with many folks to bring you this preprint. Check it out! 🔬🌽 www.biorxiv.org/content/10.1...

KATANIN promotes cell elongation and division to generate proper cell numbers in maize organs

Microtubule severing is essential for proper eukaryotic cell elongation and division. Here we show that the microtubule severing protein, KATANIN, is encoded by two genes in Zea mays (maize) called Di...

www.biorxiv.org

1 12 23

Reposted by Hee-Kyung Ahn

Danve Castroverde @danvec.bsky.social · 2d

Cross-kingdom mechanisms of trained immunity in plant systemic acquired resistance

www.nature.com/articles/s41...

Cross-kingdom mechanisms of trained immunity in plant systemic acquired resistance - Nature Plants

Plants face constant microbial threats and have evolved highly effective inducible immune systems, culminating in systemic acquired resistance. Plant systemic acquired resistance and mammalian trained immunity share striking similarities, which are explored in this Review.

www.nature.com

2 4

Reposted by Hee-Kyung Ahn

Nature Portfolio @natureportfolio.nature.com · 2d

Over the last year, Nature’s Careers team has been tapping into its global community of readers, writers, friends and colleagues to compile a list of laboratory hacks to help make scientists’ working lives easier. Here’s a list of 99 of those hacks. #Academicsky 🧪

These 99 'lab hacks' will make your scientific work easier

Nature asked contributors, editors and working researchers to share their best advice for scientists.

go.nature.com

10 44

Reposted by Hee-Kyung Ahn

Dan Gibbs 🌱🧬 @djgibbs.bsky.social · 3d

Very nice new review on roles for translational control in plant cell signalling by @maureynoso.bsky.social

www.sciencedirect.com/science/arti...

Update on translational control modes in plant cell signaling

Protein synthesis can contribute to plant cell signaling at multiple regulatory levels. Recent studies have expanded the conditions that are directly …

www.sciencedirect.com

3 10

Reposted by Hee-Kyung Ahn

Pallavi Singh @thepallavisingh.bsky.social · 4d

**Please Repost**

Pallavi Singh Lab is looking for two Postdocs to join our team studying how plants balance carbon, water, and resilience in a changing climate.

PlantPlug PDRA: vacancies.essex.ac.uk/tlive_webrec...

REVOLUTION PDRA: vacancies.essex.ac.uk/tlive_webrec...

Deadline: October 15.

46 33

Reposted by Hee-Kyung Ahn

Dorota Kawa @dorotakawa.bsky.social · Jun 4

We are hiring a technician for our BarrierFates consortium! www.uu.nl/en/organisat...

Research Technician Root Barriers

Join us in investigating the role of maize root barriers in soil stresses!

www.uu.nl

4 6

Reposted by Hee-Kyung Ahn

justingoodrich.bsky.social @justingoodrich.bsky.social · 20d

I'm recruiting a post doc and a research assistant for a 30 month project “ZHOUPI genes, cell death and the evolution of plant endosperm” funded by a Research Project grant from the Leverhulme Trust @Leverhulme.ac.uk. Application details are on the Opportunities page at biology.ed.ac.uk/goodrich

1 20 20

Reposted by Hee-Kyung Ahn

Megan McDonald @mcdonaldmeganc.bsky.social · 20d

There are no words to describe how excited and honored I am to take on the role. Already had such amazing support from the plant pathology community in Switz and cannot wait to grow the team further and see how far we can get in tackling our fungal foes. Look out for jobs starting in May 2026!

Departement Umweltsystemwissenschaften (D-USYS), ETH Zürich @usyseth.bsky.social · 20d

We warmly welcome Dr. Megan McDonald as Associate Professor of Plant Disease Dynamics. Her research on fungal diseases in crops will strengthen our expertise and collaborations across plant sciences. 🌱

ETH Zurich @ethz.ch · 20d

At its meeting of 17 and 18 September 2025 and upon application of Joël Mesot, President of ETH Zurich, the ETH Board appointed eight professors. The Board also awarded the title of "Professor of Practice" once.

More info:

17 11 71

Reposted by Hee-Kyung Ahn

Abdelrahman Qutb (Abdo) @abdelrahmanqutb.bsky.social · 25d

Glad to have participated in #PPATH2025 last week, sharing my work on proximity labeling in the apoplast as part of the ECPP talks, one last time before wrapping up my PhD 🎓🌱

2 4

Hee-Kyung Ahn @hee-kyung-ahn.bsky.social · Sep 7

It was a lovely week in Seoul! Now going back home, with wonderful memories of my favorite places in Seoul and of course all the amazing food!

6

Hee-Kyung Ahn @hee-kyung-ahn.bsky.social · Sep 5

It was an incredible honor to be invited and introduce my work at the 34th International Korean Genome Organization conference! I learned so much about genomes in multiple model systems and about all the fascinating works done by Korean genomics experts! #KOGO

3

Reposted by Hee-Kyung Ahn

Eli Thynne @elithynne.bsky.social · Aug 24

Really happy this is out in preprint - Congratulations to @graemekettles.bsky.social @zymohaider.bsky.social, and everyone involved for their hard work completing this study! It examines a Z. tritici effector that is a molecular mimic of plant LRRs, and suppresses PTI www.biorxiv.org/content/10.1...

Molecular mimicry of plant cell-surface immune receptors by fungal secreted leucine-rich repeat proteins

Leucine-rich repeat (LRR) receptor-like kinases (LRR-RLKs) are important plant immunity proteins. The wheat pathogen Zymoseptoria tritici produces many virulence effectors during infection; however, m...

www.biorxiv.org

1 23 30

Reposted by Hee-Kyung Ahn

Institute of Molecular Plant Sciences (SBS) - U. of Edinburgh @instmolplantsci.bsky.social · May 30

🌱🎉 We are officially on Bluesky! 🎉🌱 Follow our profile for updates on activities and outputs from our Institute. You can also check out our blog series on our website: biology.ed.ac.uk/plant-scienc...

Blogs

Blogs on topical issues.

biology.ed.ac.uk

4 9

Reposted by Hee-Kyung Ahn

Sandy Hetherington @sandyheth.bsky.social · Aug 8

End of era in the lab @instmolplantsci.bsky.social
as we say goodbye to @rafadscruz.bsky.social and @jeremywyman.bsky.social.
It’s been a pleasure having you both in the team. Wishing you both the best for your next steps in Australia 🇦🇺 and Brazil 🇧🇷 🌿

Sandy, Jeremy and Rafael standing by a blue sign that says Daniel Rutherford Building, Institute of Molecular Plant Sciences

9 members of the lab standing next to a blue sign that reads Daniel Rutherford Building, Institute of Molecular Plant Sciences

5 18

Hee-Kyung Ahn @hee-kyung-ahn.bsky.social · Aug 4

So are tomato and potato cisgenic now?

Reposted by Hee-Kyung Ahn

Jonathan D G Jones aka JJ @jonathandgjones.bsky.social · Aug 4

www.theguardian.com/science/2025...

‘This wasn’t obvious’: the potato evolved from a tomato ancestor, researchers find

Hybridisation event took place about 9 million years ago, helping to ‘spark the emergence of a new organ’

www.theguardian.com

3 5 17

Reposted by Hee-Kyung Ahn

Matteo Gravino @matteogravino.bsky.social · Aug 1

🎉Thrilled to share our latest work, now published in @newphyt.bsky.social!

🧑‍🔬 @matteogravino.bsky.social, @samtmugford.bsky.social, @saskiahogenhout.bsky.social et al., @johninnescentre.bsky.social

#️⃣ #PlantScience #PlantImmunity

📄 Read the full paper👇
nph.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/share/8QSRJ9...

Model: Activation and suppression of defences in plant–aphid interactions. Upper left panel: aphid stylet penetration of the cell wall releases oligogalacturonides (OGs), which induce PAMP/DAMP-triggered immunity (PTI/DTI) in a process dependent on BRASSINOSTEROID INSENSITIVE 1-ASSOCIATED RECEPTOR KINASE 1 (BAK1), ENHANCED DISEASE SUSCEPTIBILITY 1 (EDS1), and CPK5/6/11 (data herein). The stabilisation of pattern recognition receptors (PRRs) and coreceptors at the plasma membrane may rely on the deubiquitination (DUB) activity of ASSOCIATED MOLECULE WITH THE SH3 DOMAIN OF STAM (AMSHs; Gravino et al., 2024). Upper right panel: the Mp10 effector, introduced by aphids into the cell cytoplasm (Mugford et al., 2016), suppresses OG-induced reactive oxygen species (ROS) (data herein) and flg22-induced PTI (Bos et al., 2010). Mp10 targeting of plant AMSHs is implicated in these processes (Gravino et al., 2024). EDS1 is essential for Mp10-mediated ROS suppression and PRR destabilisation (data herein), acting through an unidentified mechanism (denoted by the double-sided arrow with an asterisk). Lower left panel: effector-triggered immunity (ETI) is activated through EDS1, either directly or indirectly, upon recognition of Mp10 and/or its activities by a TNL (Gravino et al., 2024; Rao et al., 2024). Salicylic acid glucosyltransferase 1 (SGT1) is also required for TNL/ETI activation (Bos et al., 2010). Lower right panel: aphids secrete additional effectors, such as cathepsin B proteins (e.g. CathB6), which target EDS1 to suppress ETI (Liu et al., 2025). Solid arrows, increased activation; solid blunt-ended arrows, increased suppression; Dashed arrows, reduced activation; Dashed -blunt-ended arrows, reduced suppression.

1 14 27

Reposted by Hee-Kyung Ahn

Michelle Hulin @michhulin.bsky.social · Aug 3

We’re in Hawaii! Looking forward to APS #planthealth2025. Come see Dan’s talk on Pseudomonas phages in the tree disease section on Monday! 🌺

1 3 23

Reposted by Hee-Kyung Ahn

PlantEvolution 🌱🌾 @plantevolution.bsky.social · Aug 2

3/3 In addition, Shanshan's work highlights the value of developmental mutants: Core‬‭ immune‬‭ responses‬‭ are‬‭ robust‬‭ despite‬‭ altered‬‭ leaf‬‭ architecture in cue 1 mutants, which also use a cryptic‬‭ defense‬‭ pathway that includes sucrose-responsive‬‭ modules.‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬

1 5