Research Interests
- Fruiting body development
Formation of fruiting bodies is not only important for mushroom production but also for the dispersal of many pathogenic fungi. Our group is unveiling the genetic basis of fruiting body development in basidiomycetes using winter mushroom Flammulina velutipes as a material and the regulation of properithecium formation in ascomycetes using Neurospora crassa as a model.
- Antifungal resistance
Antifungal azoles, which inhibit ergosterol biosynthesis by disrupting the essential P450 superfamily protein lanosterol 14α-demethylase CYP51 (syn. ERG11), are the most widely used drugs for controlling fungal infections. Upon antifungal azole stress, fungi are able to transcriptionally change a number of genes. Overexpression of some of azole-responsive is known to bes able to increase the resistance to azoles in many fungal species. Using Neurospora crassa as a major model, we try to under how the responses to antifungal azoles are regulated in filamentous fungi.
- Biocontrol of fungal diseases
Only a few microorganisms are used for fungal diseases in China. Our group is attempting to find new microorganisms for fungal disease control.
