Kar-Chun Tan

Project Leader / Associate Professor
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Biography

KC has 20 years of experience in molecular plant pathology and biochemistry. He is a project leader at the CCDM and currently focuses his research on protecting wheat against serious diseases of wheat caused fungal pathogens such as Parastagonospora nodorum and Pyrenophora tritici-repentis.

His laboratory is using a multidisciplinary molecular approach to uncover novel pathogenicity mechanisms in P. nodorum and P. tritici-repentis with a strong emphasis on fungal transcription factors, effector gene regulation/epistasis, co-infection dynamics, population structure and host resistance. His group also looked at the biochemistry of the oomycete Phytophthora cinnamomi hoping to understand what makes the oomycete infectious on a broad range of plants including native flora dieback and avocados!

Related Resources & Publications

Andronis, C. E., Jacques, S., Lopez-Ruiz, F. J., Lipscombe, R., & Tan, K.-C. (2024) "Proteomic analysis revealed that the oomyceticide phosphite exhibits multi-modal action in an oomycete pathosystem." Journal of Proteomics, 301, 105181. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jprot.2024.105181

Ellwood, S. R., Lopez-Ruiz, F. J., & Tan, K.-C. (2024) "Barley powdery mildew control in Western Australia and beyond." Plant Pathology. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1111/ppa.13884

Aboukhaddour, R., Abdel-Fattah, M. H., McDonald, M., Moffat, C., Navathe, S., Friesen, T. L., Strelkov, S. E., Oliver, R. P., Tan, K.-C., Liu, Z., Moolhuijzen, P., Phan, H., See, P. T., & Solomon, P. (2023). "A revised nomenclature for ToxA haplotypes across multiple fungal species" Phytopathology. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1094/PHYTO-01-23-0017-SC

Andronis, C., Jacques, S., Lipscombe, R. and Tan, K. C. (2022). "Comparative sub-cellular proteome analyses reveals metabolic differentiation and production of effector-like molecules in the dieback phytopathogen Phytophthora cinnamomi." Journal of Proteomics DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jprot.2022.104725

John, E., Singh, K. B., Oliver, R. P. and Tan, K. C. (2022). "Transcription factor lineages in plant-pathogenic fungi, connecting diversity with fungal virulence" Fungal Genet. Biol. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.fgb.2022.103712

John, E., Jacques, S., Phan, H.T., Liu, L., Pereira, D., Croll, D., Singh, K.B., Oliver, R.P., Tan, K.C. (2022) "Variability in an effector gene promoter of a necrotrophic fungal pathogen dictates epistasis and effector-triggered susceptibility in wheat" PLOS Pathogens. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.ppat.1010149

Justesen, A.F., Corsi, B., Ficke, A., Hartl, L., Holdgate, S., Nistrup Jørgensen, L., Lillemo, M., Lin, M., Mackay, I.J., Mohler, V., Stadlmeier, M., Tan, K.C., Turner, J., Oliver, R.P., Cockram, J. (2021) "Hidden in plain sight: a molecular field survey of three wheat leaf blotch fungal diseases in North-Western Europe shows co-infection is widespread" European Journal of Plant Pathology. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10658-021-02298-5

Bertazzoni, S., Jones, D., Phan, H.T., Tan, K.C., Hane, J. (2021) "Chromosome-level genome assembly and manually-curated proteome of model necrotroph Parastagonospora nodorum Sn15 reveals a genome-wide trove of candidate effector homologs, and redundancy of virulence-related functions within an accessory chromosome." BMC Genomics DOI: https://bmcgenomics.biomedcentral.com/articles/10.1186/s12864-021-07699-8

Andronis, C.E., Hane, J.K., Bringans, S., Hardy, G.E.S.J., Jacques, S., Lipscombe, R., Tan, K.C. (2021) "Gene Validation and Remodelling Using Proteogenomics of Phytophthora cinnamomi, the Causal Agent of Dieback" Frontiers in Microbiology. DOI: https://doi.org/10.3389/fmicb.2021.665396

Jacques, S., Lenzo, L., Stevens, K., Lawrence, J., Tan, K.C. (2021) "An optimized sporulation method for the wheat fungal pathogen Pyrenophora tritici-repentis." Plant Methods DOI: https://plantmethods.biomedcentral.com/articles/10.1186/s13007-021-00751-4

John, E., Singh, K., Oliver, R., Tan, K-C. (2021). "Transcription factor control of virulence in phytopathogenic fungi." Molecular Plant Pathology - British Society for Plant Pathologists. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1111/mpp.13056

Phan, H.T., Furuki, E., Hunziker, L., Rybak, K., Tan, KC. (2021) "GWAS analysis reveals distinct pathogenicity profiles of Australian Parastagonospora nodorum isolates and identification of marker-trait-associations to septoria nodorum blotch." Scientific Reports. DOI: https://www.nature.com/articles/s41598-021-87829-0

Andronis, C.E., Hane, J., Bringans, S., Hardy, G., Jacques, S., Lipscombe, R., Tan, K-C. (2021). "Gene validation and remodelling using proteogenomics of Phytophthora cinnamomi, the causal agent of Dieback." Frontiers Microbiol. DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.3389/fmicb.2021.665396

Downie, R.C., Lin, M., Corsi, B., Ficke, A., Lillemo, M., Oliver, R.P., Phan, H., Tan, K-C., Cockram, J., (2020). "Septoria nodorum blotch of wheat: disease management and resistance breeding in the face of shifting disease dynamics and a changing environment." Phytopathology DOI: https://doi.org/10.1094/PHYTO-07-20-0280-RVW

Lin, M., Stadlmeier, M., Mohler, V., Tan, K.C., Ficke, A., Cockram, J., Lillemo, M., (2020) "Identification and cross-validation of genetic loci conferring resistance to Septoria nodorum blotch using a German multi-founder winter wheat population." Theoretical and Applied Genetics DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00122-020-03686-x

Lin, M., Corsi, B., Ficke, A,. Tan, K.C., Cockram, J., Lillemo, M. (2020) "Genetic mapping using a wheat multi-founder population reveals a locus on chromosome 2A controlling resistance to both leaf and glume blotch caused by the necrotrophic fungal pathogen Parastagonospora nodorum" Theoretical and Applied Genetics DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00122-019-03507-w

Phan, H.T.T., Jones, D.A.B., Rybak, K., Dodhia, K.N., Lopez-Ruiz, F.J., Valade, R., Gout, L., Lebrun, M-C., Brunner, P.C., Oliver, R.P., Tan, K-C. (2020) "Low Amplitude Boom-and-Bust Cycles Define the Septoria Nodorum Blotch Interaction." Frontiers in plant science DOI: Phan, H.T.T., Jones, D.A.B., Rybak, K., Dodhia, K.N., Lopez-Ruiz, F.J., Valade, R., Gout, L., Lebrun, M-C., Brunner, P.C., Oliver, R.P., Tan, K-C. (2020)

Jones, D.A.B., John, E., Ryback, K., Phan H.T.T., Singh, K.B., Lin, S.Y, Solomon, P.S., Oliver, R.P., Tan, K.C. (2019) "A specific fungal transcription factor controls effector gene expression and orchestrates the establishment of the necrotroophic pathogne lifestyle on wheat." Scientific Reports 9 DOI: https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-019-52444-7

Bertazzoni, S., Williams, A.H., Jones, D.A., Syme, R.A., Tan, K.C., Hane, J.K. (2018) "Accessories make the outfit: Accessory Chromosomes and other dispensable DNA regions in plant-pathogenic Fungi." Molecular Plant-Microbe Interactions DOI: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/29664319/

Dinglasan, E.G., Godwin, I.D., Phan, H.T.T., Tan, K.C., Platz, G.J., Hickey, L.T. (2018) "Vavilov wheat accessions provide useful sources of resistance to tan spot (syn. yellow spot) of wheat" Plant Pathology DOI: https://doi/10.1111/ppa.12822

Downie, R.C., Bouvet, L., Furuki, E., Gosman, N., Gardner, K.A., Mackay, I.J., Mantello, C.C., Mellers, G., Phan, H.T.T., Rose, G.A., Tan, K-C., Oliver, R.P., Cockram, J. (2018) "Assessing European wheat sensitivities to Parastagonospora nodorum necrotrophic effectors and fine-mapping the Snn3-B1 locus conferring sensitivity to the effector SnTox3." Frontiers in Plant Science DOI: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/30022985/

Huyen, T.T. Phan, Rybak, K., Bertazzoni, S., Furuki, E., Dinglasan, E., Hickey, L.T., Oliver, R.P., Tan, K.C. (2018) "Novel sources of resistance to Septoria nodorum blotch in the Vavilov wheat collection identified by genome-wide association studies" Theoretical and Applied Genetics DOI: doi.org/10.1007/s00122-018-3073-y

Syme, R.A., Tan, K., Ryback, K., Friesen, T.L., McDonald, B.A., Oliver, R.P., Hane, J.K. (2018) "Pan-Parastagonospora Comparative Genome Analysis – effector prediction and genome evolution." Genome Biology and Evolution DOI: https://doi.org/10.1093/gbe/evy192

Dinglasan, E.G., Godwin, I.D., Phan, H.T.T., Tan, K.C., Platz, G.J., Hickey, L.T. (2018) "Vavilov wheat accessions provide useful sources of resistance to tan spot (syn. yellow spot) of wheat." Plant Pathology. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1111/ppa.12822

Casey, T.M., Khan, J.M., Bringans, S.D., Koudelka, T., Takle, P.S., Downs, R.A., Livk, A., Syme, R.A., Tan, K-C., Lipscombe, R.J. (2017) "Analysis of reproducibility of proteome coverage and quantitation using isobaric mass tags." Journal of Proteome Research. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1021/acs.jproteome.5b01154

Rybak, K., See, P.T., Phan, H.T.T., Syme, R.A., Moffat, C.S., Oliver, R.P., Tan, K-C. (2017) "A functionally conserved Zn2 Cys6 binuclear cluster transcription factor class regulates necrotrophic effector gene expression and host-specific virulence of two major Pleosporales fungal pathogens of wheat." Molecular Plant Pathology. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1111/mpp.12511

Tan, K.C., Oliver, R.P. (2017) "Regulation of proteinaceous effector expression in phytopathogenic fungi." PLOS Pathogens. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.ppat.1006241

John, E., Lopez-Ruiz, F., Rybak, K., Mousley, C.J., Oliver, R.P., Tan, K.C. (2016) "Dissecting the role of histidine kinase and HOG1 mitogen-activated protein kinase signalling in stress tolerance and pathogenicity of Parastagonospora nodorum on wheat" Microbiology DOI: doi.org/10.1099/mic.0.000280

Phan, H.T.T., Rybak, K., Furuki, E., Breen, S., Solomon, P.S., Oliver, R.P., Tan, K.C. (2016) "Differential effector gene expression underpins epistasis in aplant fungal disease" The Plant Journal DOI: doi.org/10.1111/tpj.13203

Syme, R.A., Tan, K.C., Hane, J.K., Dodhia, K., Stoll, T., Hastie, M., Furuki, E., Ellwood, S.R., Williams, A.H., Tan, Y., Testa, A.C., Gorman, J.J., Oliver, R.P. (2016) "Comprehensive Annotation of the Parastagonospora nodorum Reference Genome Using Next-Generation Genomics, Transcriptomics and Proteogenomics" PLoS ONE DOI: doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0147221

Oliver. R.P., Tan, K.C., Moffat, C.S. (2016) "Necrotrophic Pathogens of Wheat" Encyclopedia of Food Grains (Second Edition) DOI: doi.org/10.1016/B978-0-12-394437-5.00240-0

Cockram, J., Scuderi, A., Barber, T., Furuki, E., Gardner, K.A., Gosman, N., Kowalczyk, R., Phan, H.T., Rose, G.A., Tan, K.C., Oliver, R.P., Mackay, I.J. (2015) "Fine-Mapping the Wheat Snn1 Locus Conferring Sensitivity to the Parastagonospora nodorum Necrotrophic Effector SnTox1 Using an Eight Founder Multiparent Advanced Generation Inter-Cross Population" G3 - Genes Genomes Genetics DOI: 10.1534/g3.115.021584

Tan, K.C., Phan, H.T.T., Rybak, K., John, E., Chooi, Y.H., Solomon, P.S., Oliver, R.P. (2015) "Functional redundancy of necrotrophic effectors – consequences for exploitation for breeding" Frontiers in Plant Science DOI: doi.org/10.3389/fpls.2015.00501

Tan, K.C., Oliver, R.P (2014) "12 Metabolomics and Proteomics to Dissect Fungal Phytopathogenicity" Fungal Genomics DOI: 10.1007/978-3-642-45218-5_12

Oliver, R., Lichtenzveig, J., Tan, K.C., Waters, O., Rybak, K., Lawrence, J., Friesen, T., Burges, P. (2014) "Absence of detectable yield penalty associated with insensitivity to Pleosporales necrotrophic effectors in wheat grown in the West Australian wheat belt" Plant Pathology DOI: doi.org/10.1111/ppa.12191

Tan, K.C., Waters, O.D.C., Rybak, K., Antoni, E., Furuki, E. Oliver, R.P. (2014) "Sensitivity to three Parastagonospora nodorum necrotrophic effectors in current Australian wheat cultivars and the presence of further fungal effectors" Crop and Pasture Science DOI: doi.org/10.1071/CP13443

Tucker, M.A., Moffat, C.S., Ellwood, S.R., Tan, K.C., Jayasena, K, Oliver, R.P. (2014) "Development of genetic SSR markers in Blumeria graminis f. sp. hordei and application to isolates from Australia" Plant Pathology DOI: doi.org/10.1111/ppa.12258

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