Director of FABI |
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Prof | Mike Wingfield | FABI |
Academic Staff and Research Leaders |
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Prof | Terry Aveling | Microbiology and Plant Pathology |
Prof | Dave Berger | Plant Science |
Dr | Martin Coetzee | Genetics |
Prof | Teresa Coutinho | Microbiology and Plant Pathology |
Dr | Bridget Crampton | Plant Sciences |
Dr | Wilhelm de Beer | Microbiology and Plant Pathology |
Dr | Jeff Garnas | Zoology and Entomology |
Dr | Brett Hurley | Zoology and Entomology |
Prof | Karl Kunert | Plant Science |
Dr | Lucy Moleleki | Microbiology and Plant Pathology |
Prof | Zander Myburg | Genetics |
Dr | Sanushka Naidoo | Genetics |
Prof | Gerhard Pietersen | Microbiology and Plant Pathology |
Prof | Jolanda Roux | Microbiology and Plant Pathology |
Prof | Bernard Slippers | Genetics |
Prof | Emma Steenkamp | Microbiology and Plant Pathology |
Dr | Noëlani van den Berg | Genetics |
Prof | Fanus Venter | Microbiology and Plant Pathology |
Dr | Juan Vorster | Plant Production and Soil Science |
Prof | Brenda Wingfield | Genetics |
Dr | Albé van der Merwe | Genetics |
Support and Technical Staff |
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Ms | Samantha Bush | Research Assistant |
Ms | Vivienne Clarence | Laboratory Manager |
Ms | Elna Cowley | Laboratory Manager |
Ms | Helen Doman | Office Administrator |
Ms | Heidi Fysh | Database Administrator |
Ms | Izette Greyling | Extension Officer |
Ms | Jenny Hale | Office Administrator |
Ms | Marlene Harney | Technical Assistant |
Mr | Hardus Hatting | Technical Assistant |
Ms | Pritty Khumalo | Technical Assistant |
Ms | Adrene Laubscher | Technical Assistant |
Ms | Grieta Mahlangu | Technical Assistant |
Ms | Martha Mahlangu | Office Administrator |
Dr | Seonju Marincowitz | Research Assistant |
Mr | Guelor Mayonde | Research Assistant |
Mr | Eshchar Mizrachi | Research Assistant |
Ms | Eva Muller | Office Administrator |
Ms | Valentina Nkosi | Technical Assistant |
Ms | Marja O'Neill | Research Assistant |
Mr | Nicky Olivier | Technical Assistant |
Ms | Alisa Postma | PhD Student |
Ms | Patience Ralikonyana | Technical Assistant |
Mrs | Marié Theron | Information Specialist |
Ms | Lydia Twala | Technical Assistant |
Ms | Madelein van Heerden | Office Administrator |
Ms | L'Zanne J. van Rensburg | Technical Assistant |
Ms | Maretha van der Merwe | Technical Assistant |
Ms | Adri Veale | Research Assistant |
Post-doctoral Fellows |
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Dr | Irene Barnes | Genetics |
Dr | Maryke Carstens | Plant Science |
Dr | Pieter de Maayer | Microbiology and Plant Pathology |
Dr | Lieschen de Vos | Genetics |
Dr | Martin Kemler | Genetics |
Dr | Boney Kuriakose | Plant Science |
Dr | Gaby Mbanjo | Genetics |
Dr | Sonia Phillips | Plant Science |
Dr | Pedro Romon Ochoa | Genetics |
Dr | Chongxing Zhang | Genetics |
Doctoral Students |
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Mr | Birhan Abate | Zoology and Entomology |
Ms | Omotayo Adenigba | Microbiology and Plant Pathology |
Mr | Kwabena Baffoe | Zoology and Entomology |
Mr | Marc Bouwer | Chemistry |
Ms | Nicky Creux | Genetics |
Ms | Elsie Cruywagen | Microbiology and Plant Pathology |
Mr | Dawit Degefu | Genetics |
Ms | Gudrun Dittrich-Schröder | Genetics |
Mr | Duong Anh Tuan | Genetics |
Ms | Katrin Fitza | Genetics |
Ms | Gerda Fourie | Microbiology and Plant Pathology |
Mr | Mesfin Gossa | Zoology and Entomology |
Mr | Steven Hussey | Genetics |
Ms | Fahimeh Jami | Microbiology and Plant Pathology |
Mr | Luke Jimu | Forest Science |
Mr | Maythasith (Deer) Konkarn | Microbiology and Plant Pathology |
Ms | Jeanne Korsman | Plant Science |
Mr | DongHyeon Lee | Microbiology and Plant Pathology |
Mr | Waheed Mahomed | Genetics |
Ms | Jacoline Mans | Microbiology and Plant Pathology |
Mr | Michael Mbenoun | Microbiology and Plant Pathology |
Mr | James Mehl | Microbiology and Plant Pathology |
Mr | Alain Misse | Microbiology and Plant Pathology |
Mr | Osmond Mlonyeni | Zoology and Entomology |
Mr | Eston Mutitu | Zoology and Entomology |
Ms | Kershney Naidoo | Genetics |
Ms | Ronishree Naidoo | Genetics |
Mr | Friday Nweke | Plant Science |
Ms | Sarai Olivier-Espejel | Zoology and Entomology |
Mr | Edward Onkendi | Microbiology and Plant Pathology |
Mr | Alexander Osorio Romero | Microbiology and Plant Pathology |
Ms | Mmatshepho Phasha | Microbiology and Plant Pathology |
Mr | Priyen Pillay | Plant Science |
Ms | Daniela Pineda | Zoology and Entomology |
Ms | Alisa Postma | Bioinformatics |
Mr | Quentin Santana | Genetics |
Mr | Divine Shyntum | Microbiology and Plant Pathology |
Ms | Melissa Simpson | Genetics |
Mr | Stephen Taerum | Zoology and Entomology |
Mr | Stefan van Wyk | Plant Science |
Ms | Elritha van Zyl | Microbiology and Plant Pathology |
Mr | Johan van der Linde | Microbiology and Plant Pathology |
Ms | Tania Weller-Stuart | Microbiology and Plant Pathology |
Mr | Markus Wilken | Genetics |
Ms | Mingliang Yin | Microbiology and Plant Pathology |
Masters Students |
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Mr | Jon Ambler | Bioinformatics |
Ms | Elrea Appelgryn | Genetics |
Ms | Chrizelle Beukes | Microbiology and Plant Pathology |
Ms | Velushka Birkenbach | Plant Science |
Mr | Francois Boshoff | Microbiology and Plant Pathology |
Ms | Jane Boshoff | Microbiology and Plant Pathology |
Mr | Jonathan Botha | Genetics |
Ms | Renate Botha | Microbiology and Plant Pathology |
Ms | Jane Bredenkamp | Plant Science |
Ms | Megan Calvert | Genetics |
Ms | Gabrielle Carstensen | Microbiology and Plant Pathology |
Ms | Wai Yin (Annie) Chan | Microbiology and Plant Pathology |
Ms | Vanessa Cronjé | Microbiology and Plant Pathology |
Mr | Herman de Bruin | Genetics |
Ms | Marike du Plessis | Microbiology and Plant Pathology |
Ms | Juanita Engelbrecht | Genetics |
Ms | Bianca Farrow | Genetics |
Ms | Arista Fourie | Genetics |
Mr | Felix Fru | Microbiology and Plant Pathology |
Mr | Jean Hakizimana | Genetics |
Ms | Tracy Hall | Genetics |
Mr | Darryl Herron | Microbiology and Plant Pathology |
Mr | Zander Human | Microbiology and Plant Pathology |
Mr | Godfrey Kgatle | Microbiology and Plant Pathology |
Ms | Nelly Khumalo | Genetics |
Mr | Tondani Kone | Microbiology and Plant Pathology |
Ms | Gugulethu Kubheka | Microbiology and Plant Pathology |
Ms | Alinke Labuschagne | Microbiology and Plant Pathology |
Ms | Teboho Letsoalo | Microbiology and Plant Pathology |
Mr | Mkhululi Maphosa | Genetics |
Ms | Olga Mashandule | Microbiology and Plant Pathology |
Ms | Silvia Maússe Sitoe | Microbiology and Plant Pathology |
Ms | Mamogwasha Moloto | Agricultural Research Counsil |
Mr | Aobakwe Mongae | Microbiology and Plant Pathology |
Ms | Mischa Muller | Plant Science |
Ms | Linda Ndove | Genetics |
Ms | Caryn Oates | Genetics |
Ms | Desre Pinard | Genetics |
Mr | Rudi Pretorius | Microbiology and Plant Pathology |
Ms | Sitha Ramsuchit | Genetics |
Mr | David Read | Microbiology and Plant Pathology |
Ms | Anandi Reitmann | Genetics |
Ms | Melissa Reynolds | Genetics |
Ms | Nicole Rudolph | Microbiology and Plant Pathology |
Mr | Thomas Schmidt | Plant Science |
Ms | Christina Selowa | Genetics |
Mr | Karabo Sereme | Microbiology and Plant Pathology |
Ms | Gi Yoon (Gina) Shin | Microbiology and Plant Pathology |
Ms | Siphathele (Phathie) Sibanda | Microbiology and Plant Pathology |
Ms | Janine Silberbauer | Genetics |
Ms | Katie Termer | Zoology and Entomology |
Ms | Sophia (Phia) van Coller | Microbiology and Plant Pathology |
Mr | Burger van Jaarsveld | Biochemistry |
Ms | Lindsay van Niekerk | Genetics |
Ms | Irene van Nugeteren | Plant Science |
Mr | Barend J. van Vuuren | Genetics |
Ms | Liesl van der Linden | Plant Science |
Ms | Melanie van der Vaart | Microbiology and Plant Pathology |
Ms | Erika Viljoen | Plant Science |
Ms | Ronel Viljoen | Microbiology and Plant Pathology |
Mr | Erik Visser | Genetics |
Ms | Helen-Ann Walsh | Microbiology and Plant Pathology |
Ms | Febe Wilken | Genetics |
Ms | Amy Wooding | Genetics |
Mr | Olivier Zablocki | Microbiology and Plant Pathology |
Group Team
New Publications
Chepsergon J, Moleleki LN. (2023) “Order from disordered”: Potential role of intrinsically disordered regions in phytopathogenic oomycete intracellular effector proteins. Current Opinion in Plant Biology 75:102402.
10.1016/j.pbi.2023.102402
Macharia TN, Duong TA, Moleleki LN. (2023) n silico secretome analyses of the polyphagous root-knot nematode Meloidogyne javanica: a resource for studying M. javanica secreted proteins. BMC Genomics 24:296.
10.1186/s12864-023-09366-6
Chepsergon J, Lucy N Moleleki. (2023) Rhizosphere bacterial interactions and impact on plant health. Current Opinion in Microbiology 73:102297.
10.1016/j.mib.2023.102297
Jane Chepsergon, Celiwe Nxumalo, Brenda Salasini, Aquillah Kanzi, Lucy Moleleki. (2022) Short Linear Motifs (SLiMs) in “Core” RxLR effectors of Phytophthora parasitica var. nicotianae: A case of PpRxLR1 effector. Microbiology Spectrum 10(2)
10.1128/spectrum.01774-21
Maphosa S and Moleleki LN. (2021) Isolation and Characterization of Outer Membrane Vesicles of Pectobacterium brasiliense 1692. Microorganisms 9:1-20.
10.3390/ microorganisms9091918
Jane Chepsergon, Thabiso E. Motaung, Lucy Novungayo Moleleki. (2021) “Core” RxLR effectors in phytopathogenic oomycetes: A promising way to breeding for durable resistance in plants?. Virulence 12(1):1921-1935.
10.1080/21505594.2021.1948277
Collins Kipngetich Tanui, Divine Yutefar Shyntum, Precious K. Sedibane, Daniel Bellieny-Rabelo, Lucy N. Moleleki. (2021) Pectobacterium brasiliense 1692 chemotactic responses and the role of methyl-accepting chemotactic proteins in ecological fitness. 12
10.3389/fpls.2021.650894 

Teresia N. Macharia, Daniel Bellieny-Rabelo, Lucy N. Moleleki. (2020) Transcriptome Profiling of Potato (Solanum tuberosum L.) Responses to Root-Knot Nematode (Meloidogyne javanica) Infestation during A Compatible Interaction.
10.3390/microorganisms8091443
Chepsergon J, Motaung TE, Bellieny-Rabelo D, Moleleki LN. (2020) Organize, Don’t Agonize: Strategic Success of Phytophthora Species. Microorganisms 8(6):917.
10.3390/microorganisms8060917
Shin G, Schacterle JK, Shyntum DY, Moleleki LN, Coutinho T, Sundin GW. (2019) Functional characterization of a global virulence regulator Hfq and identification of Hfq-dependent sRNAs in the plant pathogen Pantoea ananatis. Frontiers in Microbiology 10:1-19.
10.3389/fmicb.2019.02075
Shutt VM, Shin G, van der Waals JE, Goszczynska T, Coutinho T. (2018) Characterization of Ralstonia strains infecting tomato plants in South Africa. Crop Protection 112:56-62.
10.1016/j.cropro.2018.05.013
Siphathele Sibanda, Stanford Kwenda, Collins K. Tanui, Divine Shyntum, Teresa Coutinho, Lucy Moleleki. (2018) Transcriptome profiling reveals the EanI/R quorum sensing regulon in Pantoea ananatis LMG 2665T. Genes 9(3):148.
10.3390/genes9030148
Siphathele Sibanda, Lucy Moleleki, Divine Shyntum, Teresa Coutinho. 2018. Quorum Sensing in Gram-Negative Plant Pathogenic Bacteria. In: Advances in Plant Pathology. Intechopen., London SE1 9SG, United Kingdom, pp 67-89.
Tanui CK, Shyntum DY, Priem SL, Theron J, Moleleki LN. (2017) Influence of the ferric uptake regulator (Fur) protein on pathogenicity in Pectobacterium carotovorum subsp. brasiliense. Plos One 5(12)
10.1371/journal.pone.0177647
Gorshkov V, Kwenda S, Petrova O, Osipova E, Gogolev Y, Moleleki LN. (2017) Global Gene Expression Analysis of Cross-Protected Phenotype of Pectobacterium atrosepticum. PLoS ONE 12(1)
10.1371/journal.pone.0169536
Weller-Stuart T, Toth I, De Maayer P, Coutinho T. (2017) Swimming and twitching motility are essential for attachment and virulence of Pantoea ananatis in onion seedlings. Molecular Plant Pathology 18(5):734-745.
10.1111/mpp.12432
Kwenda S, Motlolometsi TV, Birch PRJ, Moleleki LN. (2016) RNA-seq profiling reveals defense responses in a tolerant potato cultivar to stem infection by Pectobacterium carotovorum ssp. brasiliense. Frontiers in Plant Science 7(1905)
10.3389/fpls.2016.01905
Kwenda S, Birch PRJ, Moleleki LN. (2016) Genome-wide identification of potato long intergenic noncoding RNAs responsive to Pectobacterium carotovorum subspecies brasiliense infection. BMC Genomics 17(614)
10.1186/s12864-016-2967-9
Sibanda S, Theron J, Shyntum DY, Moleleki LN, Coutinho TA. (2016) Characterization of two LuxI/R homologs in Pantoea ananatis LMG 2665 T. Canadian Journal of Microbiology 62(11):893-903.
10.1139/cjm-2016-0143
Moleleki LN, Pretorius RG, Tanui CK, Mosina G, Theron J. (2016) A quorum sensing‐defective mutant of Pectobacterium carotovorum subsp. brasiliense 1692 is attenuated in virulence and unable to occlude xylem tissue of susceptible potato plant stems. Molecular Plant Pathology
10.1111/mpp.12372
Kwenda S, Gorshkov V, Ramesh AM, Naidoo S, Rubagotti E, Birch PRJ, Moleleki LN. (2016) Discovery and profiling of small RNAs responsive to stress conditions in the plant pathogen Pectobacterium atrosepticum. BMC Genomics 17(1)
10.1186/s12864-016-2376-0
Onkendi EM, Ramesh AM, Kwenda S, Naidoo S, Moleleki LN. (2016) Draft Genome Sequence of a Virulent Pectobacterium carotovorum subsp. brasiliense Isolate Causing Soft Rot of Cucumber. Genome Announcements 4(1)
10.1128/genomeA.01530-15 

Ronishree Magwanda, Lizahn Zwart, Nicolaas A. van der Merwe, Lucy Moleleki, Dave Kenneth Berger, Alexander A. Myburg, Sanushka Naidoo. (2016) Localization and Transcriptional Responses of Chrysoporthe austroafricana in Eucalyptus grandis Identify Putative Pathogenicity Factors. Front. Microbiol.
10.3389/fmicb.2016.01953
Mongae A, Moleleki L. (2015) The effect of β-aminobutyric acid (BABA) on root knot nematode and soft rot pathogen disease complexes in Solanum tuberosum plants. European Journal of Plant Pathology 142(1):117-124.
10.1007/s10658-015-0596-9
Shyntum D, Theron J, Moleleki L, Toth I, Venter SN, Coutinho TA. (2015) Pantoea ananatis utilizes a type VI secretion system for pathogenesis and bacterial competition. Molecular Plant-Microbe Interactions 28(4):420-431.
10.1094/MPMI-07-14-0219-R
De Maayer P, Chan WY, Rubagotti E, Venter SN, Toth IK, Birch PR, Coutinho TA. (2014) Analysis of the Pantoea ananatis pan-genome reveals factors underlying its ability to colonize and interact with plant, insect and vertebrate hosts. BMC Genomics 15:404.
10.1186/1471-2164-15-404 

Onkendi EM, Moleleki LN. (2014) Characterization of Pectobacterium carotovorum subsp. carotovorum and brasiliense from diseased potatoes in Kenya. European Journal of Plant Pathology 139:557-566.
10.1007/s10658-014-0411-z
Shyntum DY, Venter SN, Moleleki LN, Toth I, Coutinho TA. (2014) Comparative genomics of type VI secretion systems in strains of Pantoea ananatis from different environments. BMC Genomics 15:163.
10.1186/1471-2164-15-163

Petrova O, Gorshkov V, Daminova A, Ageeva M, Moleleki LN, Gogolev Y. (2014) Stress response in Pectobacterium atrosepticum SCRI1043 under starvation conditions: adaptive reactions at a low population density. Research Microbiology 165(2):119-127.
10.1016/j.resmic.2013.11.004