|
|
|
Research at the MPP focuses on multiple aspects of membrane transport, of transport through plasmodesmata, of long-distance assimilate allocation between tissues and organs, and of cell-to-cell signaling in plants. Some of these aspects are also studied in fungi. Primary research topics are:
| • |
|
The protein-catalyzed transport of sugars (monosaccharides & disacchrides), sugar alcohols, amino acids, vitamins and ions across the different membrane systems of a cell.
SPECIFIC POINTS OF INTEREST:
|
| -. |
Identification, molecular & functional characterization of the transporters and genes responsible for these different transport steps;
|
| -. |
Identification and characterization of cis-regulatory elements and of trans-acting factors involved in the cell-, tissue-, and organ-specific expression of these genes;
|
| -. |
Analysis of the subcellular localization of the proteins, finding of signals responsible for this targeting, and characterization of factors involved in the regulation of the transporters;
|
| -. |
Determination of the specific roles of the respective proteins in growth and development of healthy and stressed (abiotic and biotic) plants;
|
|
 |
|
| • |
|
The symplastic cell-to-cell movement of macromolecules (proteins, RNAs etc.) through plasmodesmata, the identification of symplastic domains and the regulation of the symplastic connectivity in response to developmental and environmental signals.
SPECIFIC POINTS OF INTEREST:
|
| -. |
Size exclusion limits of plasmodesmata connecting selected cells or domains/clusters of cells (i.e. determination of the size of molecules that can diffuse from on cell to another);
|
| -. |
Factors that modulate the formation (= de novo synthesis), regulation and number of plasmodesmata in specific cells and tissues and normal growth conditions and after biotic or abiotic stress;
|
| -. |
Genes and proteins involved in the formation of plasmodesmata and in the control of plamodesmal size exclusion limit;
|
|
|
 |
| • |
|
The long-distance allocation of photoassimilates in the vascular system of higher plants and the regulation of this allocation in response to abiotic (e.g. salinity or drought) and biotic stresses (e.g. infection by fungi or nematodes), and
SPECIFIC POINTS OF INTEREST:
|
| -. |
Analyze of vascular transcriptomes and proteomes;
|
| -. |
Identify phloem-mobile signals and their role in plant development and response to environmental factors;
|
| -. |
Modulate the capacity of plants to load selected molecules into the phloem and analyze the consequences for the plant's physiological properties;
|
|
|
 |
Technical approaches
| • |
|
A wide spectrum of molecular, biochemical, immunohistichemical and electrophysiological techniques is applied to study the functional, structural, physical and physiological features of the genes and proteins of interest, to understand the kinetic properties of enzymes or transporters, and to unravel their two-dimensional and three-dimensional structure. Mutant analyses, transgenic approaches, immunohistochemistry, metabolite analyses and modern bioimaging techniques are central to these studies. Heterologous expression systems (Saccharomycs cerevisiae, Schizosaccharomyces pombe, Xenopus laevis oocytes) are used for functional analyses and large scale preparations of proteins. Phylogenetic relations between the members of gene families are determined and used for molecular systematics. |
|
 |
Model organisms used in the lab
| • |
|
Arabidopsis thaliana
|
|
 |
| • |
|
Nicotiana tabacum
|
|
| • |
|
Plantago major
|
|
| • |
|
Saccharomyces cerevisiae
|
|
| • |
|
Heterodera schachtii
|
|
| • |
|
Meloidogyne incognita
|
|
Publications
|
 |
|
