Heidelberg Institute for Plant Science

Biodiversity and Systematics	Prof. Dr. Marcus Koch	Biodiversity research is concentrating on all levels of biological variation -from molecules to ecosystems. In our department we are focusing on questions regarding 1) systematics and phylogenetics, 2) phylobiogeography (the distribution of genetic variation in space in time), 3) evolution of molecular marker system (nuclear single copy genes, selcted regions of the nuclear ribosomal DNA, plstid DNA, promoter regions), 4) complex adaptations and evolutionary trens in flower- and fruit architecture and development, and 5) speciation processes on the population level. For most of the projects we are focusing on cruciferous plants (mustard family, Brassicaceae) as model group. This family provides some great advantages because of the numerous established techniques (molecularly, cytologically, etc.), but also because of the several resources such as data bases, DNA libaries or the complete genome sequence of Arabidopsis thaliana. In this context we are largely focusing on "wild populations" to elaborate the significance of variation and diversity for evolution and speciation. Focus on methods: analysis of DNA-based genetic markers, phylogenetic analysis, biogeography, population genetic analysis, karyology
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Cell Biology	Prof. Dr. David Robinson	Intracellular protein transport in plant cells is the principal research interest of the Department of Cell Biology. Although much is known about the mechanisms underlying vesicle-mediated protein trafficking in mammalian and yeast cells, and many of the molecular players (e.g. coat proteins, SNAREs, rabGTPases) appear to be conserved throughout the eukaryotic kingdom, there are numerous plant-specific factors which need to be identified and characterized. These relate to the unique features of the endomembrane system of the plant cell, e.g. a polydisperse motile Golgi apparatus which does not fragment during mitosis, multiple vacuolar compartments including a protein storage compartment, cell-plate facilitated cytokinesis. The Dept. of Cell Biology has a strong structural component having state-of-the-art equipment for antigen localization at the EM (cryosectioning, high pressure freezing) and LM (CLSM) levels. Laboratories and service rooms fully equipped for standard biochemical and molecular biological investigations are also present.
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Cell Chemistry	Prof. Dr. Sabine Strahl	Fungal pathogens represent the major eukaryotic disease causing agents not only in the field of medicine but also in the field of agriculture. Worldwide ~30% of the annual production of economic plants is destroyed or spoiled due to fungal infections. In order to combat fungal pathogens without affecting the host organism, we need to target fungal specific structures or pathways that are crucial for the survival of the fungus. The fungal cell wall is an ideal target, since it is essential for cell integrity and growth, and its major components are unique to fungi. The basic architecture of the cell wall is largely conserved among fungi. Using the yeasts and phytopathogenic fungi as model organisms we are analyzing cell wall structure and biosynthesis as well as sensing and compensation mechanisms important for cell wall integrity. In this context, our research is focused in two main subjects that are in many aspects tightly interconnected: first, Protein O-Mannosylation and second, Cell Surface Mannoproteins. Focus on methods: biochemistry, molecular and cell biology, enzymology.
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Developmental Biology	Prof. Dr. Karin Schumacher	Polar cell growth is an key process during morphogenesis, particularly in plants, which are built from cells whose mobility and morphological plasticity during development is significantly limited by surrounding walls. We are employing pollen tubes, cells that elongate extremely rapidly in a unidirectional manner both in vivo and in culture, as a model system to identify and functionally characterize factors that control polar cell growth in plants. To identify genes that play important roles in this process, tobacco pollen tube cDNA libraries, yeast two-hybrid techniques and Arabidopsis mutant screens are employed. The functions of proteins encoded by these genes are investigated using a combinatorial strategy based on cell biology (transient over-expression in cultured tobacco pollen tubes, GFP tagging, live-cell epifluorescence/confocal microscopy etc.), molecular biology (yeast two-hybrid assays, RNAi knockout of gene expression etc.), and biochemistry (recombinant protein production, pull-down experiments etc). Focus on methods: cell biology, molecular biology, biochemistry
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Plant Molecular Biology	Prof. Dr. Rüdiger Hell	Plant primary metabolism provides the essential substrates for all cellular functions. Its regulation has to cope with continuous developmental as well as environmental changes and operates at different mechanistic levels. Our main interest deals with the metabolism of sulfur, since plant stress resistance, crop plant yield and their nutritional value for food and feed are strongly affected by many sulfur-containing compounds. Our goal is the characterization of signal transduction cascades that enable optimal growth of the plant in the interface between supply of sulfate and demand for organic sulfur compounds. The regulatory processes investigated include gene expression, protein-protein interaction, post-translational protein modification, metabolite profiles and in vivo imaging with focus on cysteine synthesis, glutathione redox control and pathogen defense. Focus on methods: molecular and cell biology, analytical biochemistry
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Molecular Ecophysiology	Prof. Dr. Thomas Rausch	Our primary goal is to elucidate molecular mechanisms by which plants adapt to or protect themselves against stress factors and to use this knowledge to improve the performance of crop plants by transgenic approaches and/or by providing molecular markers for breeding (increased stress tolerance, yield increase, post-harvest stabilization, improved phytoremediation potential). Among the stress factors being studied are mechanical wounding, water deficit (salt/drought/cold) and heavy metal exposure. At the cellular level, we analyze the impact of stress on crucial steps of primary metabolism and selected transport functions. These include: sucrose and fructan metabolism (acid invertases and their inhibitors; SST, FFT & FEH enzymes); pectin metabolism (pectin methylesterases and their inhibitors); functions of vacuolar and cytosolic pyrophosphatases; synthesis, metabolism and transport of antioxidants (glutathione, ascorbic acid); mechanisms of heavy metal accumulation and detoxification. A major part of our studies focuses on crop plants, including sugar beet, chicory, oil seed rape and corn. However, to elucidate basic molecular mechanisms at high temporal and spatial resolution, we also use functional genomics approaches in the model plant Arabidopsis thaliana. Our experimental approaches integrate the methods of molecular biology, biochemistry and cell biology with whole plant physiology.
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Phytopathology	PD Dr. Wilhelm Jelkmann	The causal agents of plant diseases include pathogenic microorganisms, such as viruses, viroids, phytoplasmas, bacteria, fungi, and unfavourable environmental conditions. Plant pathology tries to increase our knowledge about plant diseases and develop methods and procedures to avoid or control negative effects, such as losses in yield, poor quality of food, or production of toxins. Plan viruses consist normally of one or more nucleic acids, encased in a protective coat of protein. They become part of a living system only after its genome has been integrated in the host cell and viral replication is made possible through the metabolic activity of the cell. Infection of plants with viruses can result in a wide range of mild or severe visible symptoms. Our main goal is the study of virus diseases in fruit crops. It includes fundamental and applied virology such as molecular characterization, genome structure and expression, serology, nucleic acid based detection, etiological studies and host-pathogen-interactions using infectious cDNA clones, virus variability, vector studies, and effects of virus diseases on fruit crops. Another subject focuses on fire blight, caused by Erwinia amylovora. Investigated is the potential of bacteria and yeast as antagonists to control fire blight and transgenics to study host-pathogen interaction. Based on scientific expertise, administrative functions focus on advising the Federal Ministry of Consumer Protection, Food and Agriculture in matters related to plant protection in fruit crops including plant health, quarantine, research on pests and diseases, and pesticide registration. Focus on methods: molecular biology, microbiology, classical virological techniques
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Secondary Metabolism and Evolution	Prof. Dr. Michael Wink	Plants produce a wide variety of secondary metabolites that are important as defence compounds against herbivores and microorganisms. They also serve as signal compounds to attract pollinating insects and seed dispersing animals. Secondary metabolites show interesting biological and pharmacological properties and are therefore interesting for the pharmaceutical and food industries as medicinal plants, drugs and nutraceuticals or as biorational pesticides. Our research ranges from the phytochemical analysis of secondary metabolites by HPLC, GLC, GLC-MS, LC-MS and NMR, biochemical studies of their biosynthesis, transport and storage, via interactions with adapted and non-adapted herbivores, to molecular pharmacology, biotechnology, phylogeny and evolution. Focus on methods: phytochemistry, biochemistry, pharmacology, molecular and cell biology
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Structural Biology	Dr. Klaus Scheffzek	Sorry, no description available yet.
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