Soobin Shin

I am interested in shared and host-specific mechanisms underlying fungus-plant versus fungus-insect interactions. My aim is to elucidate regulatory mechanisms underlying fungal symbiosis in insects and to identify the genetic factors that differentiate this process from plant pathogenesis in phytopathogenic fungi.

Fungal pathogens interact with both plants and insects as part of their survival and propagation strategy. Beyond plants, some phytopathogenic fungi establish mutualistic associations with insects, protecting their hosts against environmental stresses such as predation. As herbivorous insects can transfer plant disease, insect symbiotic fungi impact both insect fitness and plant disease epidemiology, highlighting the significance of these tripartite interactions.

The ascomycete fungus Fusarium oxysporum has long been recognized as a plant pathogen responsible for vascular wilts worldwide. However, recent studies have revealed that certain F. oxysporum strains can form stable, symbiotic associations with insects. This intriguing duality—pathogenesis in plants versus mutualism in insects—highlights the remarkable genetic plasticity of this fungus, enabling both plant–fungus and insect–fungus interactions. Unraveling the genetic regulation underlying these host-specific adaptations will provide an evolutionary framework for understanding host specialization across kingdoms.