Molecular Plant-Microbe Interactions (MPMI) Research Group (Z.Orlovskis lab)
The long-term goal of the MPMI research group is to understand how intra-plant and inter-plant systemic signals affect and are shaped by plant beneficial microbiota in order to aid plant defence against pest and pathogen attacks. In particular, arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi form common mycelial networks (CMN) that interconnect plant roots and transmit stress signals between plants. Harnessing such inter-plant signaling offers opportunities to enhance disease resistance at the community level.
Our ambition is to make fundamental discoveries about CMN-dependent plant signaling mechanisms in model plants (Medicago truncatula, Daucus carota) as well as economically important and genetically tractable crop and tree species to uncover evolutionary conserved plant responses. The application of our research is aimed at sustainable bioengineering of plant responses to stress signals and supplementing plant microbiota to boost defence against pests and pathogens.
More information: Orlovskis Lab
Zigmunds Orlovskis, PhD
Head of the scientific group, senior researcher
Personnel
Zigmunds Orlovskis, PhD, zigmunds.orlovskis@biomed.lu.lv
Ayman Osman, PhD, ayman.osman@biomed.lu.lv
Naveen Arakkal Thaiparambil, naveen.thaiparambil@biomed.lu.lv
Dawood Shah, dawood.shah@biomed.lu.lv
Annija Kotova, annija.kotova@biomed.lu.lv
Kārlis Trevors Blūms, karlis.blums@biomed.lu.lv
Annija Andersone, annija.andersone@biomed.lu.lv
Evelīna Balode, eb25146@students.lu.lv
Areas for searching partners
Plant-mycorrhiza interactions
Plant defence & immunity
Plant systemic resistance
Inter-plant signals
Plant-pathogen interactions
Plant-microbe-insect vector biology
10 the most representative publications for the scientific group
1. Orlovskis Z, Voronins E, Kotova A, Pugacevskis D, Blums K, Nakurte I, Silamikelis I, Lee S-J (2026). Common mycelial network mediated inter-plant signals modulate plant biotic stress responses and defence against foliar pathogens. bioRxiv, doi.org/10.1101/2024.12.03.626652
2. Blūms KT, Krivmane B, Ramanenka M, Matisons R, Ruņģis D, Zeps M, Orlovskis Z (2026). Species specific marker genes for systemic defence and stress responses to leaf wounding and flagellin stimuli in hybrid aspen and silver birch. bioRxiv, doi.org/10.1101/2025.07.23.666137
3. Orlovskis Z, Singh A, Kliot A, Huang W, Hogenhout SA (2025). Phytoplasma Targeting of MADS-Box Factor SVP Suppresses Leaf Responses to Insect Vector Males, Promoting Female Attraction and Colonization. eLife, doi.org/10.7554/eLife.98992.3
4. Matisons R, Orlovskis Z, Blūms KT et al. (2024). Mycorrhizal Diversity on Roots of Silver Birch and Hybrid Aspen in Clonal Plantations in Northern Europe, Latvia. Forests 15: 2123, doi:10.3390/f15122123
5. Orlovskis Z, Reymond, P. (2020) Pieris brassicae eggs trigger inter-plant systemic acquired resistance against a foliar pathogen in Arabidopsis. New Phytologist, doi: 10.1111/nph.16788
6. Al-Subhi AM, Al-Sadi AM, Al-Yahyai RA, Chen Y, Mathers T, Orlovskis Z. et al. (2020) Witches’ brooms contribute to phytoplasma epidemics by boosting phytoplasma titers and attracting insect vectors. Plant Disease, doi.org/10.1094/PDIS-10-20-2112-RE
7. Orlovskis Z, Canale MC, Kuo CH et al. (2017) A few sequence polymorphisms among isolates of Maize bushy stunt phytoplasma associate with organ proliferation symptoms in infected maize plants. Annals of Botany, doi:10.1093/aob/mcw213
8. Orlovskis Z, Hogenhout SA. (2016) A bacterial parasite effector mediates insect vector attraction in host plants independently of developmental changes. Frontiers in Plant Science, doi:10.3389/fpls.2016.00885
9. Orlovskis Z, Canale MC, Thole V et al. (2015) Insect-borne plant pathogenic bacteria: getting a ride goes beyond physical contact. Current Opinion in Insect Science, 9: 16-23, doi: 10.1016/j.cois.2015.04.007
10. MacLean AM, Orlovskis Z, Kowitwanich K, et al. (2014) Phytoplasma Effector SAP54 Hijacks Plant Reproduction by Degrading MADS-box Proteins and Promotes Insect Colonization in a RAD23-Dependent Manner. PLoS Biology 12(4): e1001835, doi: 10.1371/journal.pbio.1001835