Alexis L. Sperling

This study identifies DGR-1 as a transcription factor that switches from lytic to biotrophic effector production in plant-parasitic nematodes, working antagonistically with SUGR-1 to regulate effector expression during infection.

The paper identifies genomic changes in parthenogenetic Drosophila mercatorum, finding a 30-fold expansion of heterochromatin on Muller element F correlates with parthenogenetic ability.

This paper identifies SUGR1 as a master regulator in nematodes that orchestrates effector production, essential for host entry and parasitism, and shows blocking SUGR1 prevents parasitism.

This study identifies and characterizes the effectorome of the plant-parasitic nematode Heterodera schachtii, revealing 659 effector gene loci and providing insights into their origin, deployment, and evolution.