Yen-Ping Hsueh

Complex Biological Interactions

Max Planck Institute for Biology Tübingen
Faculty in: IMPRS

Vita

PhD, Duke University, USA (2008)
Postdoctoral training, Duke University (2008-2010) and the California Institute of Technology (2010-2015)
Assistant, Associate, and Full Research Fellow, Institute of Molecular Biology, Academia Sinica, Taiwan (2015-2024)
Director at the MPI for Biology Tübingen (since 2024)

Research Interest
Carnivory has independently emerged in the kingdom of fungi. Within the major fungal lineages, Ascomycetes, Basidiomycetes, and Zygomycetes, multiple species have evolved unique strategies to prey on nematodes, Earth’s most abundant animals. Despite their fascinating biology, predatory fungi have been minimally explored at molecular and cellular levels. Over recent years, our department has been at the forefront of developing genetic models for two carnivorous fungi: the nematode-trapping fungus Arthrobotry oligospora from the Ascomycetes and the oyster mushroom Pleurotus ostreatus from the Basidiomycetes. Each employs distinct predatory strategies. In parallel, we leverage powerful genetics and diverse ancillary resources for Caenorhabditis elegans to study nematode’s interactions with fungal predators. In our systems, both fungi and nematodes are genetically tractable, enabling an in-depth analysis of interactions from both sides. We study these interactions employing integrative approaches such as genetic, genomic, chemical and biochemical analyses, cell biology, quantitative imaging and computational modelling. We aim to understand this cross-kingdom predator-prey interaction and co-evolution across scales in time and space.

Left: Caenorhabditis elegans trapped by the nematode-trapping fungus Arthrobotry oligospora.Center: the oyster mushroom Pleurotus ostreatus.Right: the model nematode Caenorhabditis elegans. — Left: *Caenorhabditis elegans* trapped by the nematode-trapping fungus *Arthrobotry oligospora.* Center: the oyster mushroom *Pleurotus ostreatus.* Right: the model nematode Caenorhabditis elegans.

Left: *Caenorhabditis elegans* trapped by the nematode-trapping fungus *Arthrobotry oligospora.*
Center: the oyster mushroom *Pleurotus ostreatus.*
Right: the model nematode Caenorhabditis elegans.

Available PhD projects

Currently not recruiting PhD students

Selected Reading

Kuo CY, Tay RJ, Lin HC, Juan SC, Vidal-Diez de Ulzurrun G, Chang YC, Hoki J, Schroeder FC, Hsueh YP. The nematode-trapping fungus Arthrobotrys oligospora detects prey pheromones via G protein-coupled receptors. Nat Microbiol. 2024 Jul;9(7):1738-1751.
Lin HC, de Ulzurrun GV, Chen SA, Yang CT, Tay RJ, Iizuka T, Huang TY, Kuo CY, Gonçalves AP, Lin SY, Chang YC, Stajich JE, Schwarz EM, Hsueh YP. Key processes required for the different stages of fungal carnivory by a nematode-trapping fungus. PLoS Biol. 2023 Nov 21;21(11):e3002400.
Lee CH, Lee YY, Chang YC, Pon WL, Lee SP, Wali N, Nakazawa T, Honda Y, Shie JJ, Hsueh YP. A carnivorous mushroom paralyzes and kills nematodes via a volatile ketone. Sci Adv. 2023 Jan 18;9(3):eade4809.
Yang CT, Vidal-Diez de Ulzurrun G, Gonçalves AP, Lin HC, Chang CW, Huang TY, Chen SA, Lai CK, Tsai IJ, Schroeder FC, Stajich JE, Hsueh YP. Natural diversity in the predatory behavior facilitates the establishment of a robust model strain for nematode-trapping fungi. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A. 2020 Mar 24;117(12):6762-6770.
Lee CH, Chang HW, Yang CT, Wali N, Shie JJ, Hsueh YP. Sensory cilia as the Achilles heel of nematodes when attacked by carnivorous mushrooms. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A. 2020 Mar 17;117(11):6014-6022.