The Bar Lab
Plant Pathogen Interactions
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In the Bar lab we study the plant immune system and plant pathogen interactions, focusing on mechanisms of immuno- activation and induced resistance. We investigate chemical, structural and cellular elements in the plant that influence its interaction with beneficial and pathogenic microorganisms. Some of our ongoing projects investigate development-defense trade-offs, and we are also engineering plants to be more resistant to disease in changing environments. We mostly work with Tomato and other Solanaceae, and additional crops occasionally. We are located in Volcani Institute, in the heart of Israel.
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We are a dynamic group, passionate about discovering new findings and sharing knowledge. We are seeking candidates at all levels. If you would like to join us, please send a CV to
or click the button below.
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Lab projects
Roles for cytokinin in fungal biology
We have found that the plant hormone cytokinin has roles in fungal biology, and are currently investigating these roles in both plant pathogenic and beneficial fungi.
Development and signaling in plant beneficial fungi
What traits/genes in beneficial plant fungi make them able to control disease and/or promote plant growth? Focusing on Trichoderma as a model, we explore genetic and metabolic fungal determinants that benefit the host in fungus-host interactions.
Modifying plants to improve biocontrol outcomes
We aim to both identify new biocontrol agents and improve the performance of existing ones. New beneficial microorganisms will be isolated from disease resistant plants, and the efficacy of existing agents will be improved by engineering plants to respond to biocontrol more strongly and reproducibly. One way we will do this is by knocking out plant receptors that attenuate the plants' acquired resistance response.
Architectural effects in plant-microbe interactions
Why are there so many different leaf shapes in nature? In collaboration with the Kleiman lab, we investigate structural effects that influence both phyllosphere microbiome content and sensitivity to foliar pathogens.
Development defense trade-offs
How do plants balance the need to develop and grow with pathogenic stressors in their environment? We are investigating the effect of immunity priming and the roles of translational regulation in this trade-off.
If you would like to collaborate with us, please get in touch.
Alumni
Dorin Elkabets
MSc student
2019-2022: Effects of altered plant chemistry on plant-microbe interactions.
Bat-El Neeman
Undergrad
2021-2022: Technical Assisstant.
Team Members
Research can really take its toll on you sometimes...
Working collaboratively in a fun, supportive atmosphere is important to us.
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We have openings for students, please contact us if you are interested.
TOR inhibition primes immunity and pathogen resistance in tomato in a salicylic acid-dependent manner
Molecular Plant Pathology, February 18, 2022
Investigating the role of TOR in tomato immunity and disease resistance, we found that inhibition of TOR primes resistance to a variety of pathogens via the salicylic acid pathway.
Cytokinin‑microbiome interactions regulateÂ
developmental functions
Environmental Microbiome, January 15, 2022
Here, we examined the connection between Cytokinin driven microbiome assembly and plant development.
Cytokinin inhibits fungal development and virulence by targeting the cytoskeleton and cellular trafficking
mBio, October 19, 2021
Here, our group uncovered interesting roles for the plant hormone Cytokinin in fungal biology.
Cytokinin drives assembly of the phyllosphere microbiome and promotes disease resistance through structural and
chemical cues
ISMEj, July 5, 2021
In this work, done together with the Kleiman and Jami groups, we examined how the plant hormone Cytokinin shapes the phyllosphere microbiome, and how this is connected with disease resistance.
Gene editing of the decoy receptor
LeEIX1 increases host receptivity to
Trichoderma bio-control
Frontiers in Fungal Biology, June 21, 2021
In this work, we CRISPRd the decoy receptor LeEIX1, hacking the plants' response to trichoderma and pre-priming immunity.
Coordinating the morphogenesis differentiation balance by tweaking the
cytokinin-gibberellin equilibrium
PLOS Genetics, April 26, 2021
Morphogenesis and differentiation are important stages in organ development. However, how they are balanced during development is not fully understood. In this work, the Ori and Bar labs investigated the genetic regulation of the morphogenesis- differentiation balance by studying the relationship between LA, CLAU, TKN2, CK and GA.
Root zone warming represses foliar diseases in tomato by
inducing systemic immunity
Plant, Cell and Environment, January 12, 2021
In this work, done in collaboration with the Elad group, we investigated the effect of root zone warming (RZW) in promoting plant immunity and resistance against fungal and bacterial pathogens.
Cytokinin response induces immunity and fungal pathogen resistance and modulates PRR activity in tomato.
MPP, August 2020
Rupali and colleagues delve into the world of CK induced immunity, showing that it goes through the SA pathway and can affect trafficking of pattern recognition receptors in tomato
A gain of function mutation in SlNRC4a enhances basal immunity resulting in broad- spectrum disease resistance
Communications Biology, July 2020
Here, Lorena, Meirav and colleagues examine the increased pathogen resistance generated by a gain of function mutation in the NLR NRC4a
News and lab updates
January 2022
Dorin has successfully defended her thesis, congrats!
November 2021
MOAG has provided funding for the development of our temp. stress and pathogen resistant tomato lines.
October 2021
Our paper uncovering roles for CK in fungal biology has been published in mBio.
July 2021
Our paper uncovering roles for CK in microbiome assembly and interaction of microbes with the plant leaf structure has been published in ISMEj.
August 2020
Our Paper on CK induced immunity and pathogen resistance has been published in Molecular Plant Pathology.
July 2020
The ISF has funded our project on the role of CK in fungal biology.
July 2020
Our paper on NRC induced immuno activation has been published in Communications Biology.
November 1, 2019
Anat and Dorin have officially started their studies towards an MSc degree in the lab. Good-luck!
July 30, 2019
MOAG has provided funding for our 4-year project to generate disease resistance in tomato by genome editing trafficking and defense signaling pathways.
January 1, 2019
MOAG and the Israel - France Maimonides MOST program have provided funding for different aspects of our biosensor collaboration.
January 1, 2018
MOAG has provided funding for our bio-control project.
22 Jan 2018
Want to know how we create collaborations and have fun doing science? read about our special conference in nature jobs.
Get in Touch
Department of Plant Pathology and Weed Research
Volcani Institute
+972-3-9683769