Dear colleagues,

don’t forget today’s Biology Thursday seminar online (link below) on the 14th of March, 12:15 with

Prof. Ville-Petri Friman (Department of Microbiology, Univ. Helsinki) on

Ecology and evolution of phytopathogenic bacterium and its viral parasites in plant rhizosphere microbiomes

Abstract: Bacterial viruses - phages - shape the structure of natural bacterial communities via the direct killing of cells and by imposing selection for the evolution of phage resistance. While phages are abundant in environmental microbiomes, their effects on phytopathogenic Ralstonia solanacearum bacterium, rhizosphere bacterial communities and associated plants are poorly understood. In this talk, I will provide an overview for our current work conducted in both UK and China. We find that Ralstonia-specific phages are common in aquatic and soil environments and can be isolated from agricultural and non-crop reservoir plant hosts. While phage resistance is common, it varies in both space and time. Phages can be used to control R. solanacearum infections in planta, and while phage resistance evolves rapidly it is often costly, leading to trade-offs with pathogen virulence and competitiveness. Together, our findings suggest that R. solanacearum commonly interacts with phages in natural microbiomes, which could affect pathogen distribution, evolution, and responses to phage biocontrol applications.

More on his research at: https://villefrimanscience.weebly.com/

See you soon!

Heikki

Heikki Helanterä is inviting you to a scheduled Zoom meeting.

Join Zoom Meeting

https://oulu.zoom.us/j/62917763539?pwd=WENZRy9Bb3NlSzlyeVlVamJ4RHR5Zz09

Meeting ID: 629 1776 3539

Passcode: 166151

===============================================

Heikki Helanterä

Professor

Ekologian ja genetiikan tutkimusyksikkö / Ecology and Genetics Research Unit

Oulun Yliopisto / University of Oulu / Finland

heikki.helantera@oulu.fi
+358 50 4700 545