Faculty of Science School of Botany

Professor Barbara Howlett

Location
 Botany Bld Botany Bld Rm 105
Phone +61 3 8344 5062
Fax +61 3 9347 5460
Email bhowlett@unimelb.edu.au

 

http://www.botany.unimelb.edu.au/blackleg

Research Interests

Research Group

Editorial Responsibilities:
2009-                         Editor: Eukaryotic Cell
2008-present              Associate Editor: PLoS Pathogens
2005-present              Senior Editor: Molecular Plant Pathology

Publications: 2006 -2009 (as of July 09)

  1. Van de Wouw AP, Pettolino FP, Howlett BJ, Elliott CE (2009) Mutations to LmIFRD affect cell wall integrity, development and pathogenicity of the ascomycete Leptosphaeria maculans. Fungal Genetics and Biology in press (cover photo)
  2. Howlett BJ, Fox EM, Cozijnsen AJ, Van de Wouw AP, Elliott CE (2009) The secondary metabolite toxin, sirodesmin PL, and its role in virulence of the blackleg fungus. in ‘The role of Plant Pathology in Food Safety and Food Security’, ed. R. Strange. Vol. 3 Springer, in press
  3. Sprague SJ, Howlett BJ, Kirkegaard JA, (2009) Epidemiology of root rot caused by Leptosphaeria maculans in Brassica napus crops European Journal of Plant Pathology, DOI 10.1007/s10658-009-9470-y
  4. McLean MC, Howlett BJ, Hollaway GM (2009) The epidemiology and control of spot form of net blotch (Pyrenophora teres f. maculata) of barley: a review. Crop & Pasture Science 60: 303–15
  5. Van de Wouw AP, Marcroft SJ, Barbetti MJ, Hua Li, Salisbury PA, Gout L, Rouxel T, Howlett BJ, Balesdent MH (2009)  Dual control of avirulence in Leptosphaeria maculans towards a Brassica napus cultivar with sylvestris-derived resistance suggests involvement of two resistance genes. Plant Pathology 58: 305–13
  6. Sexton AC, Minic Z, Cozijnsen AJ, Pedras MSC, Howlett BJ (2009) A glucosyltransferase of the plant pathogen Sclerotinia sclerotiorum detoxifies a phytoalexin, brassinin, from Brassica species. Fungal Genetics and Biology 46: 201-9
  7. Fox EM, Howlett BJ (2008) Secondary metabolism: regulation and role in fungal biology. Current Opinion in Microbiology 11: 481-7
  8. Van de Wouw AP, Thomas VL, Cozijnsen AJ, Marcroft SJ, Salisbury PA, Howlett BJ (2008)  Identification of Leptosphaeria biglobosa ‘canadensis’ on Brassica juncea stubble from northern New South Wales. Australasian Plant Disease Notes 3: 124-8
  9. Elliott CE, Harjono, Howlett BJ (2008) Mutation of a gene in the fungus Leptosphaeria maculans allows increased frequency of penetration of stomatal apertures of Arabidopsis thaliana. Molecular Plant 1: 471-81
  10. Fox EM, Gardiner DM, Keller NP, Howlett BJ (2008) A Zn(II)2Cys6 DNA binding protein regulates the sirodesmin PL biosynthetic gene cluster in Leptosphaeria maculans. Fungal Genetics and Biology 45: 671-82
  11. Lambou K, Tharreau D, Kohler A, Sirven C, Marguerettaz M, Barbisan C, Sexton AC, Kellner EM, Martin F, Howlett BJ, Orbach MJ, Lebrun M-H (2008)  Fungi have three tetraspanin families with distinct functions. BMC Genomics 9: e63
  12. Fox EM, Howlett BJ (2008) Biosynthetic gene clusters for epipolythiodioxopiperazines in filamentous fungi. Mycological Research 112: 162-9
  13. Heitman J, Howlett BJ (2008) Fungal horizons: The Asilomar Fungal Genetics Conference 2007 Fungal Genetics and Biology 45: 77-83
  14. Howlett BJ (2008) Biosynthesis of epipolythiodioxopiperazine toxins in fungi. Chemistry in Australia 75: 4-7 (unrefereed)
  15. Patron NJ, Waller RF, Cozijnsen AJ, Straney DC, Gardiner DM, Nierman WC, Howlett BJ (2007) Origin and distribution of epipolythiodioxopiperazine (ETP) gene clusters in filamentous ascomycetes. BMC Evolutionary Biology 7: 174
  16. Elliott CE, Gardiner DM, Thomas G, Cozijnsen AJ, Van De Wouw A, Howlett BJ (2007) Production of the toxin sirodesmin PL by Leptosphaeria maculans during infection of Brassica napus. Molecular Plant Pathology 8: 791-802
  17. Sprague SJ, Watt M, Kirkegaard JA, Howlett BJ (2007) Pathways of infection of Brassica napus roots by Leptosphaeria maculans. New Phytologist 176: 211-222
  18. Hayden HL, Cozijnsen AJ, Howlett BJ (2007) Microsatellite and minisatellite analysis of populations of the canola pathogen Leptosphaeria maculans reveals regional genetic differentiation in Australia. Phytopathology 97: 879-87
  19. Howlett BJ, Idnurm A and Heitman J (2007) Fungal pathogenesis: Unveiled gene clusters as secrets within the Ustilago maydis code – a dispatch. Current Biology 17: R87-R90
  20. Sexton AC, Whitten AR, Howlett BJ (2006) Population structure of Sclerotinia sclerotiorum in an Australian canola field at flowering and stem infection stages of the disease cycle. Genome 49: 1408-15
  21. Sexton AC, Howlett BJ (2006) Parallels between fungal pathogenesis on plants and animal hosts. Eukaryotic Cell 5: 1941-9
  22. Howlett BJ (2006) Secondary metabolite toxins and nutrition of plant pathogenic fungi. Current Opinions in Plant Biology 9: 371-5
  23. Elliott CE, Howlett BJ (2006) Over expression of a 3-ketoacyl-CoA thiolase in Leptosphaeria maculans causes reduced pathogenicity on Brassica napus. Molecular Plant Microbe Interactions 19: 588-96 (cover photo)
  24. Sexton AC, Cozijnsen AJ, Keniry A, Jewell E, Love CG, Batley J, Edwards D, Howlett BJ (2006) Transcription profile of genes from three developmental stages of the plant pathogen Sclerotinia sclerotiorum. FEMS Microbiology Letters 258: 150-60

  25. Sprague SJ, Hayden HL, Marcroft SJ, Howlett BJ (2006) Major gene resistance to blackleg in Brassica napus overcome within three years of commercial production in Southeastern Australia. Plant Disease 190: 190-8

  26. Sprague SJ, Hayden HL, Brun H, Marcroft SJ, Pinochet X, Rouxel T, Balesdent MH, Howlett BJ (2006) Major gene resistance in Brassica napus (oilseed rape) is overcome by changes in virulence of populations of Leptosphaeria maculans in France and Australia. European Journal of Plant Pathology 114: 33-40

  27. Kuhn ML, Gout L, Howlett BJ, Melayah D, Meyer M, Balesdent MH, Rouxel T (2006) Genetic linkage maps and genomic organization in Leptosphaeria maculans. European Journal of Plant Pathology 114:17-31

  28. Fitt BDL, Evans N, Howlett BJ, Cooke M (Editors) (2006) Sustainable strategies for managing Brassica napus (oilseed rape) resistance to Leptosphaeria maculans (phoma stem canker). Springer, The Netherlands: 126 pp. (BOOK) ISBN:1402045247

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