J. E. Leach

Spelling changes and fluorescent tagging with prime editing vectors for plants

This paper develops and validates prime editing vectors for plants, enabling large insertions and fluorescent tagging in dicots and monocots.

Repeated gain and loss of a single gene modulates the evolution of vascular pathogen lifestyles

The paper shows that the gene cbsA acts as a switch for vascular vs. non-vascular pathogenesis in bacteria, with its presence and absence linked to lifestyle evolution.

Genome assembly and characterization of a complex zfBED-NLR gene-containing disease resistance locus in Carolina Gold Select rice with Nanopore sequencing

The paper uses long-read sequencing to assemble and characterize a complex NLR gene-containing locus in rice, identifying an expanded Xo1 locus with a zfBED domain-containing NLR gene.

Genomic acquisitions in emerging populations of Xanthomonas vasicola pv. vasculorum infecting corn in the U.S. and Argentina

The paper identifies gene acquisitions in Xanthomonas vasicola pv. vasculorum genomes from the U.S. and Argentina, linking them to increased virulence through horizontal gene transfer, including a prophage from X. vasicola pv. holcicola.

Functional analysis of African Xanthomonas oryzae pv. oryzae TALomes reveals a new susceptibility gene in bacterial leaf blight of rice

The paper identifies a new susceptibility gene in rice by analyzing TAL effector repertoires and their functional roles in bacterial leaf blight.