Research Manager - Molecular Biology and Bioinformatics
Biochemistry, Genetics and Microbiology
Forestry and Agricultural Biotechnology Institute (FABI) · University of Pretoria
Email: lieschen.bahlmann@up.ac.za
Research groups: DST/NRF Centre of Excellence in Plant Health Biotechnology · Tree Protection Co-operative Programme · Grain Research Programme
Dr Lieschen De Vos
Research Manager - Molecular Biology and Bioinformatics
About
The Fusarium genus consists of a diverse group of filamentous ascomycete fungi. Members of this complex cause disease on economically important plants, with an estimated 80% of cultivated crops having at least one associated Fusarium disease. My focus is on Fusariumspecies within the Fusariumfujikuroi species complex (FFSC). Here, my interests lie in the dispensable chromosomes within this complex, host specificity, as well as how the genomic landscape of these fungi are altered after endophytic or pathogenic lifestyles.
I am also a member of the developing research program on Agricultural crops that is based at FABI. This program supports the South African agricultural sector. My role here is as the FABI Diagnostic Clinic manager. Through this clinic, we receive numerous samples that are related not only to this program, but also to forestry, avocado and the macadamia industries. Support is provided to aid in the identification of pests and pathogens that threaten these economically important industries.
My Publications
Journal Articles (39)
Masuku SK, De Vos L, Thabiso TE, Steenkamp ET, Wingfield BD (2026) Baseline sensitivity of South African Fusarium circinatum to tebuconazole. Journal of Plant Pathology. doi: 10.1007/s42161-026-02197-w
van Dijk A, Wilson AM, Marx B, Hough B, Swalarsk-Parry BS, De Vos L, Wingfield MJ, Wingfield BD, Steenkamp ET (2025) CRISPR-Cas9 genome editing reveals that the Pgs gene of Fusarium circinatum is involved in pathogenicity, growth and sporulation.. Fungal Genetics and Biology. doi: 10.1016/j.fgb.2025.103970
Dankie VN, Steenkamp ET, De Vos L, Swalarsk-Parry BS, Dewing C, Fru F, Wilken PM, Mchunu NP, Wingfield BD, Wingfield MJ, van der Nest MA
(2025)
Growth, pathogenicity and sexual fertility of the African tree pathogen Ceratocystis albifundus.
Journal of Plant Pathology.
107.
doi: 10.1007/s42161-024-01634-y
De Vos L, van der Nest MA, Santana QC, van Wyk S, Leeuwendaal KS, Wingfield BD, Steenkamp ET (2024) Chromosome-level assemblies for the pine pitch canker pathogen Fusarium circinatum. Pathogens. 13. doi: 10.3390/pathogens13010070
Swalarsk-Parry BS, De Vos L, Fru FF, Santana QC, van der Nest MA, Wingfield BD, Wingfield MJ, Herron DA, Ramaswe JB, Dewing C, Sayari M, van der Merwe NA, van Wyk S, Lane FA, Wilson AM, Adegeye OO, Soal NC, Price J-L, Steenkamp ET (2024) Wide variation in aggressiveness and growth in South African Fusarium circinatum isolates with geographical origin as the primary determinant. Southern Forests: a Journal of Forest Science. doi: 10.2989/20702620.2024.2363749
van der Nest MA, Steenkamp ET, De Vos L, Wienk R, Swart V, van den Berg N (2024) Complete mitochondrial genome sequence of the white root rot pathogen Dematophora necatrix (Xylariaceae: Xylariales). Mitochondrial DNA Part B: Resoures. 9. doi: 10.1080/23802359.2024.2403411
Ramaswe JB, Steenkamp ET, De Vos L, Fru FF, Adegeye OO, Wingfield BD (2024) Sex pheromone receptor Ste2 orchestrates chemotropic growth towards pine root extracts in the pitch canker pathogen Fusarium circinatum. Pathogens. 13. doi: 10.3390/pathogens13050425
Meinecke CD, de Vos L, Yilmaz N, Steenkamp ET, Wingfield MJ, Wingfield BD (2023) A LAMP assay for rapid detection of th epitch canker pathogen Fusarium circinatum. Plant Disease. doi: 10.1094/PDIS-04-22-0972-SR
Swalarsk Parry BS, Steenkamp ET, Van Wyk S, Santana QC, van der Nest MA, Hammerbacher A, Wingfield BD, De Vos L (2022) Identification and characterization of a QTL for growth of Fusarium circinatum on pine-based medium. Journal of Fungi. 8. doi: 10.3390/jof8111214
Dewing C, van der Nest MA, Santana QC, Proctor RH, Wingfield BD, Steenkamp ET, De Vos L (2022) Characterization of host-specific genes from Pine- and grass-associated species of the Fusarium fujikuroi species complex. Pathogens. 11. doi: 10.3390/pathogens11080858
Maphosa MN, Steenkamp ET, Kanzi AM, Van Wyk S, De Vos L, Santana QC, Duong TA, Wingfield BD (2022) Intra-Species genomic variation in the pine pathogen Fusarium circinatum. Journal of Fungi. 8. doi: 10.3390/jof8070657
Maphosa M, Steenkamp ET, Kanzi A, van Wyk S, De Vos L, Santana QC, Duong AT, Wingfield BD (2022) Intra-species genomic variation in the pine pathogen Fusarium circinatum. Preprints. 2022040298. doi: 10.20944/preprints202204.0298.v1
Wingfield BD, De Vos L, Wilson AM, Duong AT, Vaghefi N, Botes A, Kharwar RN, Chand R, Poudel B, Aliyu H, Barbetti MJ, Chen S, de Maayer P, Liu F, Navathe S, Sinha S, Steenkamp ET, Suzuki H, Tshisekedi KA, van der Nest MA, Wingfield MJ (2022) Draft genome assemblies of Fusarium marasasianum, Huntiella abstrusa, two Immersiporthe knoxdaviesiana isolates, Macrophomina pseudophaseolina, Macrophomina phaseolina, Naganishia randhawae, and Pseudocercospora cruenta. IMA Fungus. 13. doi: 10.1186/s43008-022-00089-z
Duong AT, Aylward J, Ametrano CG, Poudel E, Santana QC, Wilken PM, Martin A, Arun-Chinnappa KS, De Vos L, DiStefano I, Grewe F, Huhndorf S, Lumbsch HT, Rakoma JR, Steenkamp ET, Sun Y, van der Nest MA, Wingfield MJ, Yilmaz N, Wingfield BD (2021) Draft genome assembly of Fusarium pilosicola, Meredithiella fracta, Niebla homalea, Pyrenophora teres hybrid WAC10721, and Teratosphaeria viscida. IMA Fungus. 12. doi: 10.1186/s43008-021-00077-9
van der Nest MA, Chávez R, De Vos L, Duong TA, Gil-Durán C, Ferreira MA, Lane FA, Levicán G, Santana QC, Steenkamp ET, Suzuki H, Tello M, Rakoma JR, Vaca I, Valdés N, Wilken PM, Wingfield MJ, Wingfield BD (2021) Draft genome sequences of Penicillium roqueforti, Fusarium sororula, Chrysoporthe puriensis, and Chalaropsis populi. IMA Fungus. 12. doi: 10.1186/s43008-021-00055-1
van Wyk S, Wingfield B, De Vos L, van der Merwe A, Steenkamp E (2021) Genome-Wide Analyses of Repeat-Induced Point Mutations in the Ascomycota. Frontiers in Microbiology. 11. doi: 10.3389/fmicb.2020.622368
van der Nest, MA, Hlongwane, N, Hadebe, K, Chan, W-Y, van der Merwe, NA, De Vos, L, Greyling, B, Kooverjee, BB, Soma, P, Dzomba, EF, Bradfield, M, Muchadeyi, FC (2021) Breed ancestry, divergence, admixture, and selection patterns of the Simbra crossbreed. Frontiers in Genetics. 11. doi: 10.3389/fgene.2020.608650
van Wyk S, Wingfield BD, De Vos L, van der Merwe NA, Santana QC, Steenkamp ET (2019) Repeat-Induced Point Mutations Drive Divergence between Fusarium circinatum and Its Close Relatives. Pathogens. 8. doi: 10.3390/pathogens8040298
van Wyk S, Harrison CH, Wingfield BD, De Vos L, van der Merwe NA, Steenkamp ET (2019) The RIPper, a web-based tool for genome-wide quantification of Repeat-Induced Point (RIP) mutations. PeerJ. 7. doi: 10.7717/peerj.7447
Fourie A, van der Nest MA, De Vos L, Wingfield MJ, Wingfield BD, Barnes I (2019) QTL mapping of mycelial growth and aggressiveness to distinct hosts in Ceratocystis pathogens. Fungal Genetics and Biology. 131. doi: 10.1016/j.fgb.2019.103242
van der Nest MA, Steenkamp ET, Roodt D, Soal NA, Palmer M, Chan W-Y, Wilken PM, Dong TA, Naidoo K, Santana QC, Trollip C, De Vos L, Van Wyk S, McTaggart AR, Wingfield MJ, Wingfield BD (2019) Genomic analysis of the aggressive tree pathogen Ceratocystis albifundus. Fungal Biology. doi: 10.1016/j.funbio.2019.02.002
Wingfield BD, Liu M, Nguyen HDT, Lane FA, Morgan SW, De Vos L, Wilken PM, Doung TA, Aylward J, Coetzee MPA, Dadej K, De Beer ZW, Findlay W, Havenga M, Kolarik M, Menzies JG, Naidoo K, Pochopski O, Shoukouhi P, Santana QC, Seifert KA, Soal NA, Steenkamp ET, Tatham CT, Van der Nest MA, Wingfield MJ (2018) Nine draft genome sequences of Claviceps purpurea s.lat., including C. arundinis, C. humidiphila, and C. cf. spartinae, pseudomolecules for the pitch canker pathogen Fusarium circinatum, draft genome of Davidsoniella eucalypti, Grosmannia galeiformis, Quambalaria eucalypti, and Teratosphaeria destructans. IMA Fungus. 9. doi: 10.5598/imafungus.2018.09.02.10
Wingfield BD, Bills GF, Dong Y, Huang W, Nel WJ, Swalarsk-Parry BS, Vaghefi N, Wilken PM, An Z, de Beer ZW, De Vos L, Chen L, Duong TA, Gao Y, Hammerbacher A, Kikkert JR, Li Y, Li H, Li K, Li Q, Liu X, Ma X, Naidoo K, Pethybridge SJ, Sun J, Steenkamp ET, van der Nest M, van Wyk S, Wingfield MJ, Xiong C, Yue Q, Zhang X (2018) IMA Genome-F 9 Draft genome sequence of Annulohypoxylon stygium, Aspergillus mulundensis, Berkeleyomyces basicola (syn. Thielaviopsis basicola), Ceratocystis smalleyi, two Cercospora beticola strains, Coleophoma cylindrospora, Fusarium fracticaudum, Phialophora cf. hyalina, and Morchella septimelata. IMA Fungus. 9. doi: 10.5598/imafungus.2018.09.01.13
Van Wyk S, Wingfield BD, De Vos L, Santana QC, Van der Merwe, NA, Steenkamp ET (2018) Multiple independent origins for a subtelomeric locus associated with growth rate in Fusarium circinatum. IMA Fungus. 9. doi: 10.5598/imafungus.2018.09.01.03
Wingfield BD, Berger DK, Steenkamp ET, Lim H-J, Duong TA, Bluhm BH, De Beer ZW, De Vos L, Fourie G, Naidoo, K, Olivier NA, Lin, Y-C, Van der Peer Y, Joubert F, Crampton BG, Swart V, Soal N, Tatham C, Van der Nest MA, Van der Merwe NA, Van Wyk S, Wilken PM, Wingfield MJ (2017) IMA Genome-F 8 Draft genome of Cercospora zeina, Fusarium pininemorale, Hawksworthiomyces lignivorus, Huntiella decipiens and Ophiostoma ips. IMA Fungus. 8. doi: 10.5598/imafungus.2017.08.02.10
Wingfield BD, Barnes I, De Beer ZW, De Vos L, Duong TA, Kanzi AM, Naidoo K, Nguyen HDT, Santana QC, Sayari M, Seifert KA, Steenkamp ET, Trollip C, Van der Merwe, NA, Van der Nest MA, Wilken PM, Wingfield MJ (2015) Draft genome sequences of Ceratocystis eucalypticola, Chrysoporthe cubensis, C. deuterocubensis, Davidsoniella virescens, Fusarium temperatum, Graphilbum fragrans, Penicillium nordicum, and Thielaviopsis musarum. IMA Fungus. 6. doi: 10.5598/imafungus.2015.06.02.13
Wingfield BD, Ades PK, Al-Naemi FA, Beirn LA, Bihon W, Crouch JA, De Beer ZW, De Vos L, Duong TA, Fields CJ, Fourie G, Kanzi AM, Malapi-Wight M, Pethybridge SJ, Radwan O, Rendon G, Slippers B, Santana QC, Steenkamp ET, Taylor PWJ, Vaghefi N, Van der Merwe NA, Veltri D, Wingfield MJ (2015) IMA Genome-F 4. Draft genome sequences of Chrysoporthe austroafricana, Diplodia scrobiculata, Fusarium nygamai, Leptographium lundbergii, Limonomyces culmigenus, Stagonosporopsis tanaceti, and Thielaviopsis punctulata. IMA Fungus. 6. doi: 10.5598/imafungus.2015.06.01.15
De Vos L, Steenkamp ET, Martin SH, Santana QC, Fourie G, Van der Merwe NA, Wingfield MJ, Wingfied BD (2014) Genome-wide macrosynteny among Fusarium species in the Gibberella fujikuroi complex revealed by amplified fragment length polymorphisms. PLoS ONE. 9. doi: 10.1371/journal.pone.0114682
Van der Nest, M.A., Beirn, L.A., Crouch, Jo Anne, Demers, J.E., De Beer, Z.W., De Vos, L., Gordon, T. R., Moncalvo, J. M., Naidoo, K., Sanchez-Ramirez, Santiago, Roodt, D., Santana, Q. C., Slinksi, S.L., Stata, M., Taerum, S.J., Wilken, P. Markus, Wilson, A.M., Wingfield, M.J., Wingfield, B.D. (2014) Draft genomes of Amanita jacksonii, Ceratocystis albifundus, Fusarium circinatum, Huntiella omanensis, Leptographium procerum, Rutstroemia sydowiana, and Sclerotinia echinophila. IMA Fungus. 5. doi: 10.5598/imafungus.2014.05.02.11
Van der Nest MA, Bihon W, De Vos L, Naidoo K, Roodt, D, Rubagotti E, Slippers, B, Steenkamp, E.T., Wilken, P.M., Wilson, A, Wingfield MJ, Wingfield BD (2014) Draft genome sequences of Diplodia sapinea, Ceratocystis manginecans, and Ceratocystis moniliformis. IMA Fungus. 5. doi: 10.5598/imafungus.2014.05.01.13
De Vos L, van der Merwe NA, Wingfield MJ, Myburg AA, Wingfield BD (2013) Transmission ratio distortion in an interspecific cross between Fusarium circinatum and Fusarium subglutinans. Genes and Genomics. 35. doi: 10.1007/s13258-013-0066-8
Wingfield BD, Steenkamp ET, Santana QC, Coetzee MPA, Bam S, Barnes I, Beukes CW, Chane W-Y, de Vos L, Fourie G, Friend M, Gordon TR, Herron DA, Holt C, Korf I, Kvas M, Martin SH, Mlonyeni XO, Naidoo K, Phasha MM, Postma A, Reva O, Roos H, Simpson M, Slinski S, Slippers B, Sutherland R, van der Merwe NA, van der Nest MA, Venter SNV, Wilken PM, Yandell M, Zipfel R, Wingfield MJ (2012) First fungal genome sequence from Africa: a preliminary analysis. South African Journal of Science. 108. doi: 10.4102/sajs.v108i1/2.537
De Vos L, van der Nest MA, van der Merwe NA, Myburg AA, Wingfield MJ, Wingfield BD (2011) Genetic analysis of growth, morphology and pathogenicity in the F1 progeny of an interspecific cross between Fusarium circinatum and Fusarium subglutinans. Fungal Biology. 115. doi: 10.1016/j.funbio.2011.07.003
Moses LM, Marasas WFO, Vismer HF, De Vos L, Rheeder JP, Proctor RH, Wingfield BD (2010) Molecular characterization of Fusarium globosum strains from South African maize and Japanese wheat. Mycopathologia. 170.
van der Nest MA, Slippers B, Steenkamp ET, De Vos L, van Zyl K, Stenlid J, Wingfield MJ, Wingfield BD (2009) Genetic linkage map for Amylostereum areolatum reveals an association between vegetative growth and sexual and self recognition. Fungal Genetics and Biology. 46.
van der Nest MA, Slippers B, Steenkamp ET, De Vos L, Van Zyl K, Stenlid J, Wingfield MJ, Wingfield BD (2009) Genetic linkage map for Amylostereum areolatum reveals an association between vegetative growth and sexual and self-recognition. Fungal Genetics and Biology. 46. doi: 10.1016/j.fgb.2009.06.002
De Vos L, Myburg AA, Wingfield MJ, Desjardins AE, Gordon TR, Wingfield BD (2007) Complete genetic linkage maps from an interspecific cross between Fusarium circinatum and Fusarium subglutinans. Fungal Genetics and Biology. 44. doi: 10.1016/j.fgb.2007.02.007
Van Zyl, R.A., Mathabe, P., Hlongwane, C, Bahlmann L, Botha AM (2005) Proteins expressed in wheat (Triticum aestivum) in response to Russian wheat aphid (Diuraphis noxia) infestation. Comparative Biochemistry and Physiology. Part A: Molecular & Integrative Physiology. 141. doi: 10.1016/j.cbpb.2005.05.018
Bahlmann L, Govender, P., Botha, A.-M. (2003) Leaf epicuticular wax ultrastructure and trichome presence on Russian wheat aphid (Diuraphis noxia) resistant and susceptible leaves. African Entomology. 11.
