Dr. Márta Ludman - MATE Research
Overview
Dr. Márta Ludman as a molecular plant biologist investigates the role and molecular mechanism of RNA interference pathways in model and economically important crop species. Various stress factors, such as viral infections, have a significant impact on plant growth, development, and can cause considerable damage to crop production. As a result of virus infection, the viability of plants deteriorates: stunted growth, leaf deformation, reduced photosynthetic efficiency, and in extreme cases, partial or complete necrosis are observed. In recent years, significant advances have been made in understanding host virus interactions, which have led to the implementation of a number of highly effective countermeasures in agriculture.
Research keywords:
Publications
STUDY OF THE ROLE OF AGO2 IN ANTIVIRAL DEFENSES IN SOLANACEOUS PLANTS
We are studying the antiviral protein AGO2 using a N. benthamiana ago2 mutant model. Our goal is to determine how AGO2 functions in immune responses and discover new components of these defense pathways.
Károly Fátyol, Márta Ludman, József Burgyán, Functional dissection of a plant Argonaute, Nucleic Acids Research, Volume 44, Issue 3, 18 February 2016, Pages 1384–1397, https://doi.org/10.1093/nar/gkv1371
Ludman, M., Burgyán, J. & Fátyol, K. Crispr/Cas9 Mediated Inactivation of Argonaute 2 Reveals its Differential Involvement in Antiviral Responses. Sci Rep 7, 1010 (2017). https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-017-01050-6
Paudel, D. B., Ghoshal, B., Jossey, S., Ludman, M., Fatyol, K., & Sanfaçon, H. (2018). Expression and antiviral function of ARGONAUTE 2 in Nicotiana benthamiana plants infected with two isolates of tomato ringspot virus with varying degrees of virulence. Virology, 524, 127-139.
https://doi.org/10.1016/j.virol.2018.08.016
UNDERSTANDING THE MOLECULAR DETAILS OF VIRUS INDUCED NECROTIC PROCESSES
The innate response to viral infections often involves programmed necrosis, preventing pathogen dissemination and triggering distal, protective effects. Our research try to identifies the genes governing this necrotic pathway.
Fátyol K, Fekete KA, Ludman M.2020.Double-Stranded-RNA-Binding Protein 2 Participates in Antiviral Defense. J Virol94:10.1128/jvi.00017-20. https://doi.org/10.1128/jvi.00017-20
Pasin, F., Shan, H., García, B., Müller, M., San Leon, D., Ludman, M., ... & García, J. A. (2020). Abscisic acid connects phytohormone signaling with RNA metabolic pathways and promotes an antiviral response that is evaded by a self-controlled RNA virus. Plant communications, 1(5). https://doi.org/10.1016/j.xplc.2020.100099
Wang, Y., Gong, Q., Wu, Y., Huang, F., Ismayil, A., Zhang, D., ... & Liu, Y. (2021). A calmodulin-binding transcription factor links calcium signaling to antiviral RNAi defense in plants. Cell Host & Microbe, 29(9), 1393-1406. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.chom.2021.07.003
UNRAVELING THE BACKGROUND OF THE TOMATO DISEASE CAUSED BY PEPINO MOSAIC VIRUS (PEPMV)
Viral diseases severely hinder tomato production, with Pepino Mosaic Virus (PepMV) emerging as a primary, fast-spreading threat to greenhouse yields and quality. Our research seeks to identify the role of the gene AGO2 in PepMV infection through targeted gene silencing.
Márta Ludman, Gabriella Szalai, Tibor Janda, Károly Fátyol, Hierarchical contribution of Argonaute proteins to antiviral protection, Journal of Experimental Botany, Volume 74, Issue 21, 21 November 2023, Pages 6760–6772, https://doi.org/10.1093/jxb/erad327
Projects
Investigation of the mechanisms of necrotic processes induced by plant viruses
The study of various stress factors has long been an integral part of modern plant protection. Plants have evolved several defensive mechanisms to fight off viral infections. Disentangling the details of these processes is important to finding novel ways to improve stress tolerance in plants.
http://nyilvanos.otka-palyazat.hu/index.php?menuid=930&lang=HU&num=152648
