PhD Student

To prevent plant diseases, it is essential to understand the factors that determine whether a pathogen can successfully infect a plant. Interestingly, recent years have shown that the plants microbiome plays a crucial role during the infection process, as it can protect the plant and even completely suppress infection. However, the microbiome can also promote pathogenicity. Understanding what influences this outcome is of great interest to me.

I began my doctoral studies with the aim of understanding how the beneficial yeast Moesziomyces bullatus ex. Albugo (MbA) inhibits the pathogenic oomycete Albugo laibachii on Arabidopsis thaliana. We discovered that the secretion of a glycoside hydrolase (GH25 – a lysozyme) is the key factor in mediating the antagonism (Eitzen et al. 2021). Furthermore, A. laibachii was associated with specific bacteria on the plant surface that could be isolated from A. laibachii spores. Interestingly, some of these bacteria had a negative effect on infection of A. laibachii, while other bacteria could protect A. laibachii not only from inhibition through MbA but also from competing bacteria. Thus, we were able to describe an indirect inhibition of A. laibachii by MbA through targeting bacteria that are beneficial to A. laibachii. (Sorger & Sengupta, 2025). 

After discovering this enzyme as a tool used by beneficial yeast to indirectly inhibit a pathogen on the plant, I aimed to comprehend how GH25 would function in a pathogenic lifestyle. I am therefore currently investigating how the pathogenic smut fungus U. maydis uses GH25 in the process of infecting Zea mays.

Besides lab work, I enjoy teaching students and science communication! 

University of Cologne

CEPLAS / Institiute for Plant Sciences
Chair of Terrestrial Microbiology
Zülpicher Straße 47a
D-50674 Cologne
Tel:  +49 221-470-3871
Fax: +49 221-470-7406
Mail: zsorger@smail.uni-koeln.de