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Stefan Kusch

@stefankusch.bsky.social
91 followers 149 following 4 posts

Post-doc @fz-juelich.de | seeking R&D innovation position | co-evolution of plants and pathogens #fungi #genomics | #Science is our only hope

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Reposted by Stefan Kusch
Team_Zuccaro @algazuccaro.bsky.social · 01/04/2026
Really proud of this work led by Ruben Eichfeld! We show how a CBM domain gain/loss can rewire fungal chitinases, turning them from antifungal enzymes into immune-suppressing effectors that support plant symbiosis. www.nature.com/articles/s41...
nature.com
Domain gain or loss in a fungal chitinase enables specialization towards antagonism or immune suppression - Nature Communications
Gain or loss of a particular domain contributes to functional specialization of a conserved chitinase in beneficial root endophyte towards microbial antagonism or host immune suppression.
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Reposted by Stefan Kusch
Toby Baril @tobybarilbio.bsky.social · 12/11/2025
TEs aren’t just genomic parasites, they’re also engines of genomic novelty. Our new study with ~2,000 Z. tritici genomes shows repeated TE mobilization waves during global expansion. With @danielcroll.bsky.social & @guidopuccetti.bsky.social 🧬 www.nature.com/articles/s41... #TEworldwide
nature.com
Historic transposon mobilisation waves create distinct pools of adaptive variants in a major crop pathogen - Nature Communications
In this study, the authors analysed a large genomic dataset to trace how jumping genes shaped the global spread of a major wheat pathogen and reveal bursts of activity over decades that drove adaptati...
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Stefan Kusch @stefankusch.bsky.social · 06/10/2025
Great work by everyone involved! Anne Loos, Ella Doykova @jiangzhaoqian.bsky.social @florian-kuemmel.bsky.social Heba Ibrahim Levente Kiss Ralph Panstruga @rwth.bsky.social
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Stefan Kusch @stefankusch.bsky.social · 06/10/2025
Some highlights: - fully sequenced and annotated genomes of two species, including transposon space using #TEtrimmer for the first time in newly sequenced genomes www.nature.com/articles/s41... - cultured Arachnopeziza in vitro - confirmed selective fungicides - expressed hygromycin resistance +RFP
nature.com
TEtrimmer: a tool to automate the manual curation of transposable elements - Nature Communications
Transposons are repetitive DNA sequences that are hard to identify and map accurately. TEtrimmer automates key manual steps, enabling faster and more reliable annotation of transposable elements in any genome.
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Stefan Kusch @stefankusch.bsky.social · 06/10/2025
Genetic modification of obligate biotrophic pathogens like #powderymildew is often not possible, in part because they cannot be grown without a host. We took a detour and established Arachnopeziza, closest extant relative of powdery mildew, as substitute! onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/...
onlinelibrary.wiley.com
Saprotrophic Arachnopeziza Species as New Resources to Study the Obligate Biotrophic Lifestyle of Powdery Mildew Fungi
Obligate biotrophic plant pathogens like the powdery mildew fungi commit to a closely dependent relationship with their plant hosts and have lost the ability to grow and reproduce independently. Thus....
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Reposted by Stefan Kusch
JiangzhaoQian.bsky.social @jiangzhaoqian.bsky.social · 25/09/2025
Thrilled to share that our TEtrimmer paper has just been published in Nature Communications! A big thank you to all collaborators — the article is now online ;) www.nature.com/articles/s41...
nature.com
TEtrimmer: a tool to automate the manual curation of transposable elements - Nature Communications
Transposons are repetitive DNA sequences that are hard to identify and map accurately. TEtrimmer automates key manual steps, enabling faster and more reliable annotation of transposable elements in any genome.
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Stefan Kusch @stefankusch.bsky.social · 25/09/2025
Just published: TEtrimmer by @jiangzhaoqian.bsky.social et al @natcomms.nature.com TEtrimmer aims to simplify #transposon annotation in any given genome - and improves the accuracy of TE detection! Check it out: rdcu.be/eH8Sa
rdcu.be
TEtrimmer: a tool to automate the manual curation of transposable elements
Nature Communications - Transposons are repetitive DNA sequences that are hard to identify and map accurately. TEtrimmer automates key manual steps, enabling faster and more reliable annotation of...
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