Dr Yeshveer Singh

Yeshveer studies how phytoplasma effectors modulate the cellular processes of their host plants.

Phytoplasmas are bacterial pathogens that induce massive changes in plant development, generating ‘Zombie plants’. Phytoplasmas also colonize various organs of their insect vectors. Their ability to colonize these diverse hosts requires a plethora of virulence proteins, also known as effectors, that are secreted into plant and insect cells. The functions of several effectors are well described, and these include SAP11, SAP54 and SAP05. However, some phytoplasmas have more than 50 effector genes and the functions of the majority of phytoplasma effectors have remained obscure.

Yeshveer is particularly interested in investigating how secreted effector proteins enable phytoplasma to colonize the host in co-ordinated manner.

More specifically, his research will focus on determining the structural basis for the interaction of secreted effectors with their host targets, to understand the dynamics of complex formation using various biophysical methods.

Yeshveer graduated with a Ph.D. from National Institute of Plant Genome Research (NIPGR), New Delhi, India, where he worked on structural and functional intricacies of virulence determinants of plant-infecting fungi.