Plant Chemetics Laboratory
University of Oxford
Welcome to the Plant Chemetics Laboratory
The Plant Chemetics lab investigates the molecular mechanisms underpinning host manipulation by plant pathogens, with a particular focus on apoplast manipulation of Solanaceous plants by bacterial microbes. Our research activities also aim at improving molecular pharming of secreted (glyco)proteins through the depletion of immune responses and by removing secreted proteases. Unique is our approach to discover novel plant-pathogen interactions using structure predictions with AI and display protein activities by pioneering chemical proteomics using (re-) activity-based probes. Please contact us if you are interested to join or collaborate!
News
June 2024
Bioengineering proteases into coreceptors! Jiorgos Kourelis has identified residues in orthologs and paralogs of immune protease Rcr3 of tomato that can be bioengineered to turn them into co-receptors for the recognition of protease inhibitor Avr2 of Cladosporium fulvum. Read more in The Plant Cell!
June 2024
Protomap! An impressive proteomic dataset reveals extensive endogenous processing of plant proteins. This dataset reveales the migration and topology of >5,000 plant proteins in protein gels! Read more in New Phytologist!
June 2024
Genome edited lines lacking protease SBT5.2 do no longer process antibody 2F5 in the apoplast but surprisingly, 2F5 (and other IgGs!) are not secreted when expressed by agroinfiltration... Read more of Konstantina's work in Plant Biotechn. J.!
May 2024
Bye Y4 students! Maria, Xavier and Evan have made fantastic research in the lab and were great students to host and supervise.
April 2024
NEW BBSRC grant!! The BBSRC funds us to improve the transient expression of the Covid19 Spike proteins and other viral glycoproteins in plants to enable fast, safe, and sustainable vaccine production.
February 2024
ePip1! Engineering to make immune protease Pip1 insensitive for inhibition by EpiC2B from late blight increases immunity against this disease. Read more in Plant Biotech. J.!
January 2024
YES global competition award for the innovative production of saponins in moss as sustainable detergents. Congrats Joy, Emma and Konstantina!
January 2024
Happy 2024! New year dinner at Somerville College. Looking back at a good 2023 and forward to an exciting 2024!
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