The Keller Laboratory

Welcome to the website for the Keller Lab at UW-Madison.

Our research focus lies in genetically dissecting those aspects of fungi that render them potent pathogens and superb natural product (also called secondary metabolite) machines. Our lab (i) elucidates molecules involved in the virulence of plant, animal and human pathogenic fungi and (ii) methods to express and characterize novel bioactive fungal secondary metabolites for drug development.

News

  • Check out the recent article featuring Nancy and others on Exploring Drug Discovery and Development magazine https://www.drugdiscoverynews.com/warring-fungi-produce-new-drugs-for-cancer-and-infectious-disease-15330

Recent Publications

  • Won, T.H., Bok, J.W., Nadig, N. et al. Copper starvation induces antimicrobial isocyanide integrated into two distinct biosynthetic pathways in fungi. Nat Commun 13, 4828 (2022). https://doi.org/10.1038/s41467-022-32394-x

  • Khokhani D, Carrera Carriel C, Vayla S, Irving TB, Stonoha-Arther C, Keller NP, Ané JM. Deciphering the Chitin Code in Plant Symbiosis, Defense, and Microbial Networks. Annu Rev Microbiol. 2021 Oct 8;75:583-607. doi: 10.1146/annurev-micro-051921-114809. PMID: 34623896.

  • Raffa N, Won TH, Sukowaty A, Candor K, Cui C, Halder S, Dai M, Landero-Figueroa JA, Schroeder FC, Keller NP. Dual-purpose isocyanides produced by Aspergillus fumigatus contribute to cellular copper sufficiency and exhibit antimicrobial activity. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A. 2021 Feb 23;118(8):e2015224118. doi: 10.1073/pnas.2015224118. PMID: 33593906; PMCID: PMC7923669.

  • Khalid S, Keller NP. Chemical signals driving bacterial-fungal interactions. Environ Microbiol. 2021 Jan 28. doi: 10.1111/1462-2920.15410. Epub ahead of print. PMID: 33511714.

  • Zelante, T., Choera, T., Beauvais, A., Fallarino, F., Paolicelli, G., Pieraccini, G., Pieroni, M., Galosi, C., Beato, C., De Luca, A., Boscaro, F., Romoli, R., Liu, X., Warris, A., Verweij, P. E., Ballard, E., Borghi, M., Pariano, M., Costantino, G., Calvitti, M., … Romani, L. (2021). Aspergillus fumigatus tryptophan metabolic route differently affects host immunity. Cell reports, 34(4), 108673. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.celrep.2020.108673

Stay Connected with the Department! For news, events, and courses, visit https://fungi.wisc.edu/