Academic Background
Ph.D. Plant Pathology, University of Nebraska-Lincoln, 2019
M.S. Plant Biochemistry, Federal University of Ceará, 2014
B.S. Biological Sciences, Federal University of Ceará, 2011
Research Interests and Current Efforts
Raquel Rocha, a Postdoctoral Research Associate in the lab, studies the molecular basis of plant-nematode interactions and aims to elucidate the metabolic pathways and factors driving the establishment of the root-knot nematode (RKN) in plant hosts. Her research is focused on proteomics analysis of RKN stylet secretions and identification of novel nematode effectors and host targets.
Publications
Rocha, R. O. and Wilson, R.A. 2020.Magnaporthe oryzae nucleoside diphosphate kinase is required for metabolic homeostasis and redox-mediated host innate immunity suppression. Molecular Microbiology, 114, 789-807. https://doi.org/10.1111/mmi.14580
Rocha, R. O.; Elowsky, C.; Thao, N. P. T.; Wilson, R. A. 2020. Spermine-mediated tight sealing of the Magnaporthe oryzae appressorial pore-rice leaf surface interface. Nature Microbiology, 5, 1472–1480. https://doi.org/10.1038/s41564–020-0786–x
Rocha, R. O.; Wilson, R. A. 2019. Essential, deadly, enigmatic: polyamine metabolism and roles in fungal cells. Fungal Biology Reviews, 33(1), 47-57. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.fbr.2018.07.003
Rocha, R. O.; Morais, J.K.S.; Oliveira, J. T. A.; Oliveira, H. D.; Sousa, D. O. B.; Souza, C.E.A.; Moreno, F. B.; Monteiro-Moreira, A.C.O.; Souza Júnior, J.D.A.; Grossi De Sá, M.F.; Vasconcelos, I. M. 2015. Proteome of soybean seed exudates contains plant defense related proteins active against the root-knot nematode Meloidogyne incognita. Journal of Agricultural and Food Chemistry, 63(22), 5335-5343. https://doi.org/10.1021/acs.jafc.5b01109