En-Ping Cai

Receptor-like kinase RLK15 binds a fungal RNase effector to enhance autophosphorylation and activate host defense

Rum1 and Cdc73 integrate transcriptional repression and autophagy to control teliospore timing in Ustilago maydis.

In the biotrophic smut fungus Ustilago maydis, teliospore formation depends on mating and host cues, but the mechanisms that restrain this program during vegetative growth remain unclear. We show that loss of the conserved PAF1 complex subunit UmCdc73 triggers spontaneous teliospore-like differentiation under axenic co...

Genome-Wide Characterization of the Sugarcane PIP Gene Family and Functional Validation of ScPIP2-70 in Low-Potassium Stress Tolerance

This study comprehensively elucidates the evolutionary dynamics and spatiotemporal expression profiles of the sugarcane PIP gene family and uncovers the novel pleiotropic function of ScPIP2-70 in mediating low-K+ stress tolerance, providing critical theoretical support and candidate gene resources for breeding “potassi...