The local desert truffle grows in the Negev desert in symbiosis(mycorrhiza) with its host plant Helianthemum sessiliflorum. We study the fungus to develop it as a new crop.
We study the following topics:
- The pre-symbiotic signal exchange between three partners(chemotropism) fungus-plant- bacteria.
- Transcriptome analyses of the fungus and the plant grownunder various conditions leading to different lifestyles of thefungus (Ect/Endo lifestyles).
- The ecology aspects of living in the desert and symbiosis-mating system, survival, development.
The work is carried at all levels including physiology, molecularbiology, bioinformatics and ecology.
The laboratory is located at Beer-Sheva