Postdoc Unravelling the Role of the Plant Microbiota in Hydathodes for Disease Resistance

Postdoc Unravelling the Role of the Plant Microbiota in Hydathodes for Disease Resistance

UvA - University of Amsterdam

Amsterdam, Netherlands

Are you intrigued by the interactions between plants, their microbiota and pathogens? Do you have a passion for unravelling the function of the plant microbiota going beyond descriptive studies and obtain a mechanistic understanding of how commensal microbes contribute to disease resistance? We invite enthusiastic and dedicated post-doctoral candidates to join our curiosity-driven research team to delve into the fascinating world of plant hydathodes, commensal bacteria, and Xanthomonas pathogens.

Tasks and responsibilities

The goal of this project is to identify commensal bacteria in hydathodes, and to characterize their role in plant protection. Going beyond descriptive microbiota analysis from entire leaves, you will isolate bacteria exclusively from hydathode tissue using laser-microdissection to establish a dedicated collection of hydathode-adapted bacteria. Fluorescence in situ hybridization (FISH) probes and highly sensitive 16S rRNA amplicon sequencing will allow us to assess the spatial distribution and taxonomic diversity of the hydathode microbiota. The bacterial isolates will be used in microbiota reconstitution experiments to test their involvement in disease resistance under controlled conditions.

Our model system is the bacterial pathogen Xanthomonas campestris pv. campestris (Xcc), which causes black rot disease in cabbage (Brassica oleracea) and in Arabidopsis thaliana. Both plant species will be used in the project.

In complementary projects in our group, we are investigating the molecular mechanism of plant immunity in hydathodes. The combined insights in hydathode immunity and the microbiota will contribute to a comprehensive understanding of plant resistance against Xcc and will potentially lead to novel strategies for plant protection and resistance breeding.

This project will be carried out in the Molecular Plant Pathology group, part of the Green Life Sciences theme at the Swammerdam Institute for Life Sciences. Research in our group aims at advancing fundamental knowledge of the interactions between plants and their pathogens, using state-of-the-art methods in molecular biology, genetics, biochemistry, and microbiology. In addition, we seek opportunities to translate fundamental insights of plant-pathogen interactions into solutions to enhance disease resistance in crops by collaborating with plant breeding companies. The position is supported by a recently awarded ERC Starting grant.

You will:

• Isolate bacteria specifically from hydathodes using laser-microdissection and establish a strain collection from cabbage-associated bacteria;
• Apply 16S rRNA amplicon sequencing and fluorescence in situ hybridization (FISH) staining of leaf thin-sections to characterize the diversity of bacteria inside hydathodes;
• Use microbiota reconstitution experiments to test the role of commensal bacteria in disease protection against Xcc;
• Perform your experiments in a systematic and controlled manner and keep records by properly documenting and organizing your work;
• Be an active member of the research group, give feedback to others and take responsibility for shared tasks;
• Discuss your work with members of the group and the UvA plant science community to incorporate feedback;
• Take a leading role in writing manuscripts for publication in peer-reviewed journals;
• Supervising Bachelor and Master internships, as well as co-supervising a lab technician.

Ownership and Initiative: We are particularly interested in candidates who can take ownership of their research project and demonstrate initiative in driving their work forward. As postdoc, you will have the opportunity to shape the direction of your research and contribute novel ideas to the field.

Your profile

You are passionate about science and have a particular interest in plant microbiomes with a special focus on plant protection against pathogens. You enjoy performing experimental lab work (e.g. microbiota profiling, large-scale isolation of bacteria, disease assays with plants and constructing synthetic communities), as well as metagenome data analysis. You have a creative mind and look forward to learning and applying your skills and knowhow in your project. Finally, you are a team player and a pleasant colleague who enjoys being part of an international team of plant scientists.

Your experience

You have/are:

• a PhD degree in molecular plant biology, microbiology or host-associated microbiomes;
• demonstrated hands-on experience with some of the following techniques and skills: 16S amplicon sequencing, fluorescent/confocal microscopy, FISH staining, large-scale isolation/culturing of bacteria, synthetic community experiments, plant growth and inoculations;
• fluent in English, both written and spoken.