PPEM Seminar Series: Dr. Alex Vompe (Bull & Hocket Labs Postdoc)

Abstract: 

In Agaricus bisporus (white button mushroom) production, there are numerous bacterial pathogens, including Pseudomonas tolaasii, that cause blotch—lesions and discoloration of mushroom caps that render them unmarketable. Crops may suffer losses of up to 50% from blotch. While advanced HVAC systems can effectively control the disease, it remains a source of yield loss in the industry, especially in smaller operations. Herein, I use a microbiome-informed two-pronged approach for developing controls against blotch pathogens. First, I am developing RB-TnSeq (random barcode transposon site sequencing) mutant libraries for culture under different environments to identify key genes related to pathogen strain fitness and virulence. The results from these experiments will help identify targets for toxin deactivation. Second, I am surveying the viral communities of the white button mushroom production environment in association with disease, passaging, and standard growing conditions to identify candidates for a bacteriophage cocktail treatment of blotch and to better understand the microbial ecosystem.

Bio: Alex D. Vompe is a postdoctoral scholar at the Pennsylvania State University, studying applied microbial ecology pertaining to white button mushroom cultivation. Broadly, Alex’s research interest is evaluating the role of microbial communities in host health and resilience. He has applied this framework to multiple hosts, including seagrass, corals, and mushrooms. He received his B.A. in Biological Sciences from Cornell University and his Ph.D. in Microbiology from Oregon State University.