Lu, Yi-Ju Assistant Professor Molecular Plant-Microbe Interaction Laboratory

◆ Molecular plant bacteriology
◆ Plant cell biology
◆ Plant immunity
◆ Plant biochemistry
Education:

Ph. D., Germany. 2012
Max Planck Institute for Plant Breeding Research (MPIPZ, Cologne, Germany) /
University of Cologne, Faculty of Mathematics and Natural Science (Germany)
* (Max Planck Institute for Plant Breeding Research and PhD program of University of Cologne)

M. S., National Taiwan University, Department of Plant Pathology and Microbiology, Taiwan, 2006.

B. S., National Taiwan University, Department of Plant Pathology and Microbiology, Taiwan, 2004.

Experience:
2022/08- Assistant Professor, Department of Plant Pathology and Microbiology, National Taiwan University, Taiwan.

2023/02- Assistant Professor (joint appointment), Master Program for Plant Medicine, National Taiwan University, Taiwan.

2021/08 - 2022/07 Assistant Professor, Institute of Biochemistry, National Chung Hsing University, Taiwan.

2021-current Guest Editor for Frontiers in Plant Sciences.

2020-2021, Senior research associate, Department of Plant, Soil and Microbial Sciences, Michigan State University, USA.

2012-2020, Postdoctoral research fellow, Department of Plant, Soil and Microbial Sciences, Michigan State University, USA.

2010-2012, Ph. D. fellowship, The Sainsbury Lab (TSL), UK.

2008-2010, Ph. D. fellowship, Max Planck Institute for plant breeding research (MPIPZ), Germany.

2008/01-2008/06, Research assistant, Agriculture biotechnology research center, Academia Sinica, Taiwan.
必修課程
微生物學實驗
分子生物學(合授)
線蟲學及實驗 (合授)

選修課程
植物細菌學
植物病理與微生物講座
植物病害與診斷 (合授)
當代植物病理與微生物學講座(合授)
專題討論(合授)
顯微鏡下的生命世界(合授)
Year Article
2023

Interdependence of a kinase and its cognate substrate plasma membrane nanoscale dynamics underlies Arabidopsis response to viral infection

eLife

vol.12,page.RP90309

Marie-Dominique, JolivetAnne-Flore Deroubaix, Marie Boudsocq, Nikolaj B. Abel, Marion Rocher, Terezinha Robbe, Valérie Wattelet-Boyer, Jennifer Huard, Dorian Lefebvre, Yi-Ju Lu, Brad Day, Grégoire Saias, Jahed Ahmed, Valérie Cotelle, Nathalie Giovinazzo, Jean-Luc Gallois, Yasuyuki Yamaji, Sylvie German-Retana, Julien Gronnier, Thomas Ott, Sébastien Mongrand, Véronique Germain

2022

Overexpression of NDR1 leads to pathogen resistance at elevated temperatures

New Phytologist

vol.235,page.1146 - 1162

Samaradivakara, S.P.; Chen, H.; Lu, Y.-J.; Li, P.; Kim, Y.; Tsuda, K.; Mine, A.; Day, B.

2021

NDR1 and the Arabidopsis Plasma Membrane ATPase AHA5 are Required for Processes that Converge on Drought Tolerance and Immunity

bioRxiv

Lu, Y-J*, Chen, H., Corrion, A., Buyuk, I., Li, P., Taylor, S., Wai, C-M., VanBuren, R., Santos, P., Sakamoto, H., and Day, B*. (*: Equal contribution)

2020

The Lifecycle of the Plant Immune System

Critical Reviews in Plant Sciences

vol.39 (1),page.72-100

Li, P., Lu, Y-J., Chen H. and Day., B.

2020

Arabidopsis calcium-dependent protein kinase 3 regulates actin cytoskeleton organization and immunity

Nature Communications

vol.11 (1),no.6234

Lu, Y.-J.; Li, P.; Shimono, M.; Corrion, A.; Higaki, T.; He, S.Y.; Day, B.

2018

The MAP4 Kinase SIK1 Ensures Robust Extracellular ROS Burst and Antibacterial Immunity in Plants

Cell Host and Microbe

vol.24 (3),page.379-391

Zhang, M., Chiang, Y-H., Toruno, T.Y., Lee, D., Ma, M., Liang, X., Lal, NK., Lemos, M., Lu, Y-J., Ma, S., Liu, J., Day, B., Dinesh-Kumar, S. P., Dehesh, K., Dou, D., Zhou, JM and Coaker, G.

2016

The Pseudomonas syringae type III effector HopG1 induces actin remodeling to promote symptom development and susceptibility during infection

Plant Physiology

vol.171,no.2239-2255

Shimono, M*., Lu, Y.-J.*, Porter, K., Kvitko, B. H., Henty-Ridilla, J., Creason, A., He, S. Y., Chang, J. H., Staiger, C. J., and Day, B. (*: Equal contribution)

2012

Patterns of plant subcellular responses to successful oomycete infections reveal differences in host cell reprogramming and endocytic trafficking

Cellular Microbiology

vol.14 (5),page.682-97

Lu, Y.-J.; Schornack, S.; Spallek, T.; Geldner, N.; Chory, J.; Schellmann, S.; Schumacher, K.; Kamoun, S.; Robatzek, S.

Year Article
2017

Quantitative evaluation of plant actin cytoskeletal parameters during immune activation

Methods in Molecular Biology

vol.1578,page. 207-227

Lu, Y-J., and Day B.

2011

Live-cell imaging reveals subcellular localization of plant membrane compartments during oomycete infections and quantitative high-throughput imaging identifies endocytic trafficking mutants

PhD thesis, MPI fur Züchtungsforschung (Max Planck Institute for Plant Breeding Research). University of Cologne.

Lu, Yi-Ju

About Us

Research Interests

We employ cutting-edge techniques in cell biology and biochemistry to explore the sophisticated interplay between bacterial pathogenicity and plant immune mechanisms.

1. Mechanisms of Bacterial Pathogenicity

At the cellular biology level, our laboratory investigates how plant bacteria induce diseases by affecting organelles and structures within the cell. For instance, our previous research findings have shown that during plant infection by bacteria, there are alterations in the plant's cytoskeleton - actin, induced by the HopG1 effector released by the type III secretion system of bacteria. Based on these research findings, we will explore the signaling pathways involved and plant proteins participating in this process.

2. Plant Innate Immunity

Plants employ layers of immune mechanisms to defend against various pathogenic attacks. We intend to explore unknown plant proteins (including enzymes, kinases, and defense proteins) to elucidate the plant immune network, such as PAMP-triggered immunity (PTI), Effector-triggered immunity (ETI), and stomatal immunity, and how these proteins may alter plant hormones, as well as investigate the mechanisms initiating immunity.

3. Prevention and Control of Important Bacterial Plant Diseases in Taiwan

We aim to reduce pesticide dependency and minimize concerns regarding bacterial resistance to current pesticides by improving materials and using small molecule substances, thus promoting environmentally friendly agricultural management.


Team Members and Lab Culture