Abstract: Predation is a potent ecological and evolutionary force, yet its occurrence within the fungal kingdom has only recently now becoming better understood. Nematophagous fungi—fungi that capture and consume nematodes—exemplify how fungi have repeatedly evolved extraordinary strategies for hunting nematodes, one of the most abundant animal groups on Earth. These strategies include the mechanical ingenuity of nematode-trapping fungi, which construct elaborate adhesive and constricting devices, and the chemical arsenal of oyster mushrooms (Pleurotus spp.), which deploy toxins to immobilize their prey. In this talk, I will explore the biology and evolution of fungal predation, drawing from our research into the development, regulation, and function of traps and toxins, as well as the behavioral and physiological response of the nematodes when encouturing predatory fungi. I will discuss how these interactions have shaped fungal biology and contributed to the dynamics of soil ecosystems. This hidden facet of fungal biology offers a window into the ecological versatility and evolutionary arms race between predtors and prey.
Bio: Yen-Ping Hsueh was born in Taipei and received her undergraduate and master’s degrees at the National Taiwan University, majoring in Plant Pathology and Microbiology. In 2003, she joined the Department of Molecular Genetics and Microbiology at Duke University, USA, for her PhD and stayed on as a postdoctoral fellow under the guidance of Joseph Heitman. There, she studied the genetics and evolution of the sexual cycle and the mating-type locus of the human fungal pathogen Cryptococcus neoformans. In 2010, she relocated to Caltech, USA, where she worked as a postdoctoral fellow in Paul Sternberg’s lab, investigating the predatory-prey relationship between Caenorhabditis elegans and the nematode-trapping fungus Arthrobotrys oligospora. In 2015, Yen-Ping Hsueh established her independent laboratory at the Institute of Molecular Biology, Academia Sinica in Taiwan, where she was a professor. Yen-Ping Hsueh has been a Director at the Max Planck Institute of Biology Tübingen since 2024. Yen-Ping Hsueh and her team focus on understanding cross-congregational predator-prey interactions between different kingdoms of organisms and the co-evolution of carnivorous fungi and nematodes. The team aims to understand how the model nematode C. elegans senses and responds to predatory fungi. The goal is to unravel the mysteries behind predation mechanisms and evolution in the fungal kingdom. The researchers are also interested in understanding how predator-prey interactions influence coevolution and adaptation in fungi and nematodes.
Host: Yun Chen
Zoom ID: 3704893938