Our Team

Postdoctoral researcher

Aarhus University

My research interest lies in the molecular mechanisms underlying the interaction between plants and microorganisms that can be used to manipulate plant responses to challenging environments and to improve food security. During my PhD, I focused on the beneficial interaction between legumes and nitrogen-fixing rhizobia in the model plant Medicago. The investigation targeted the perception of rhizobium-secreted signals by plant lysin motif receptor-like kinases (LysM-RLKs), which is one of the key steps for establishing a compatible and efficient symbiotic interaction between two partners. The study focused on analysing a cluster of LysM-RLK genes that is important for strain-specific recognition using a combination of genomics, plant and bacterial genetics, and molecular and biochemical approaches. The project highlighted significant differences in interacting with rhizobia between two of the most well-studied Medicago genotypes, A17 and R108. Taking a step forward in my understanding of LysM-RLKs in interacting with micro-organisms, I am currently a postdoctoral fellow working on the Engineering the Nitrogen Symbiosis for Africa (ENSA) project under the supervision of Prof. Simona Radutoiu at Aarhus University, Denmark. My work is focused on exploiting the involvement of LysM-RLKs in symbiosis and immunity in non-legume crops, and their engineering to enable the recognition of symbiotic rhizobia in non-legume crops.

Publications:

3 Apr 2023Analysis of the structure and function of the LYK cluster of Medicago truncatula A17 and R108. Plant Science. Author(s): Luu T-B, Carles N, Bouzou L, Gibelin-Viala C, Remblière C, Gasciolli V, Bono J-J, Lefebvre B, Pauly N, Cullimore J.

5 May 2022A newly‐evolved chimeric lysin motif receptor‐like kinase in Medicago truncatula spp. tricycla R108 extends its Rhizobia symbiotic partnership. Author(s): LUU T-B, Ourth A, Pouzet C, Pauly N, Cullimore J.