Dr. Zhang’s lab focuses on studying plant-nematode interactions with the
aim of developing new tools for nematode management in agriculture.
Plant-parasitic nematodes are microscopic soil-borne roundworms, they
infect and damage plant roots causing annual crop losses valued at $80-$118
billion worldwide. With most of front-line nematicides being banned due to
their extreme toxicity, it is urgent to develop new methods for nematode
control. We focus on two groups of plant-parasitic nematodes: 1) Soybean
cyst nematode (SCN), the most damaging pathogen of soybean in the US. We
study distributions and virulence of SCN populations on soybean fields in
Indiana to provide information to growers for effective SCN management. We are
also interested in developing new bio-control agents for SCN. 2) Root-knot
nematodes (RKNs) cause serious problems in melons and vegetables in
Indiana. RKNs secrete effector proteins to root cells to facilitate their
infection of plants. Our lab focuses on studying how nematode effectors
manipulate plant processes at molecular levels during parasitism. Our goal is to
translate the knowledge and develop crop resistance against RKNs by disrupting
the molecular plant-nematode interactions using technologies such as gene
editing and host-delivered RNAi.
### There are open positions of a postdoctoral researcher and
graduate students in Dr. Zhang’s lab. If you are interested, please contact Dr.
Zhang for more information.
Selected
Publications
Zhang, L. and
Gleason, C.A. (2020) Enhancing potato resistance against root-knot nematodes
using a plant elicitor peptide delivered by bacteria. Nature Plants
6, 625-629.
Zhang, L. and
Gleason, C.A. (2019) Loop-mediated isothermal amplification for the diagnostic detection
of Meloidogyne chitwoodi and M. fallax. Plant Disease 103:1, 12-18.
Leelarasamee,
N., Zhang, L. and Gleason, C.A.
(2018) The root-knot nematode effector MiPFN3 disrupts plant actin filaments
and promotes parasitism. PLOS
Pathogens 14(3): e1006947.
Gleason,
C.A., Polzin, F., Habash, S.S., Zhang, L.,
Utermark, J., Grundler, F.M. and Elashry, A. (2017) Identification of two Meloidogyne hapla genes and an
investigation of their roles in the plant-nematode interaction. Molecular Plant-Microbe Interactions
30: 101-122.
Zhang, L.,
Davies, L.J. and Elling, A.A. (2015) A Meloidogyne
incognita effector is imported into the nucleus and exhibits
transcriptional activation activity in
planta. Molecular Plant Pathology
16: 48-60.
Davies, L.J., Zhang, L.
and Elling, A.A. (2015) The Arabidopsis
thaliana papain-like cysteine protease RD21 interacts with a root-knot
nematode effector protein. Nematology
17: 655-666.
Zhang, L., et al.
(2014). Calcium signaling and biotic defense responses in plants. Plant Signaling & Behavior 9(11):
e973818.
Zhang, L., et al.
(2014). Regulation of plant immunity through ubiquitin-mediated modulation of
Ca(2+) -calmodulin-AtSR1/CAMTA3 signaling. Plant
Journal 78(2): 269-281.
Professional Memberships
Society
of Nematologists
American
Phytopathological Society