Organization - MPIZ

The Max Planck Institute for Plant Breeding Research conducts basic molecular biological research on plants with the goal of developing more efficient breeding techniques and environmentally sound plant protection strategies for industrial crops. Four research departments focus inquiry on the evolution of plants, genetic makeup, development, and environmental interaction.

Researchers in the Department of Plant Microbe Interactions (P. Schulze-Lefert) study plant defense mechanisms against disease. Special attention is given to the molecular mechanisms of signal processing in plant cells and to the formation of compounds involved in plant defense mechanisms. Further research topics are: disease resistance in plants; control of programmed cell death; recognition of pathogens by plants; mechanisms of gene activation and reprimation; systematically acquired resistance; lower molecular defense substances and integration of biotic and abiotic stress signals.

The Department of Plant Genetics (H. Saedler) studies the development and evolution of flowers. Research focuses on a particular class of proteins that act as transcription factors. Further research topics are: molecular analysis of flower induction and development in Antirrhinum majus and Arabidopsis thaliana; molecular studies of the evolution of MADS-Box genes and of flower organs in informative taxa; transposons and genetic diversity; population genetic studies of En/Spm-containing Arabidopsis lines and molecular analysis of evolutionary innovations.

The Department of Plant Breeding and Genetics (Koornneef) charts the molecular maps of various crop plants, such as barley, single grain wheat, potatoes, and sugar beets. Research also focuses on the development of plant organs and the effects of abiotic stress factors. Further research topics are: RFLP markers in potatoes; genes against nematodes and phythophthora; hybrid lines of Solanum; resistance against PLRV; molecular biology of endosperm development; RFLP, RAPD and AFLP in sugar beets; developmental genes in barley and baking quality and origin of wild einkorn.

The Department of Plant Developmental Biology (G. Coupland) is focused on understanding molecular mechanisms that underlie the flexibility of plant development in response to environmental stimuli. Further research topics are: molecular mechanisms for the control of plant growth and differentiation; development of methodes for the examination of such mechanisms; molecular basis of circadian rhythms in plants; role of the modification of proteins by ubiquitin and SUMO in plant development.

Research relevant for barleyGenomeNet (selection)

Recognition and signaling in plant innate immunity (P. Schulze-Lefert and R. Panstruga, MPIZ)

The plant-fungus interaction between barley and the powdery mildew fungus Blumeria graminis f sp hordei (Bgh) is highly co-evolved. A plethora of race-specific powdery mildew resistance (R) genes have been genetically characterized in barley. Each of these R genes confers resistance to a powdery mildew isolate carrying a cognate avirulence gene (Avr). The complex Mla locus is unusually polymorphic and encodes the majority of known R gene specificities to the fungal parasite. Molecular isolation of several Mla R gene specificities (e.g. Mla1, Mla6, Mla10, Mla12, Mla13) has shown that the encoded gene products belong to the CC-NB-LRR subclass of intracellular plant immune receptors. The availability of several allelic MLA immune receptors, components required for their function (RAR1, SGT1, cytosolic HSP90), as well as the powdery mildew effector AVRMLA10 (recognized by the MLA10 receptor) provides the basis for

• mechanistic studies of the molecular recognition process. This involves biochemical studies of presumed pre-activation MLA recognition complexes and reconstitution experiments in yeast and Arabidopsis.
• mechanistic studies leading to the initiation of immune response signaling upon MLA activation.

Some of this work is carried out in collaboration with the group of Dr. Christopher Ridout at the John Innes Centre, Norwich, UK.

Selected Publications

Schulze-Lefert P., and Bieri S. (2005) Recognition at a distance (Perspective). Science 308, 506-508.

Bieri S, Mauch S, Shen Q-H, Peart J, Devoto A, Casais C, Ceron F, Schulze S, Steinbiß H.-H., Shirasu K, and Schulze-Lefert P (2004) RAR1 positively controls steady state levels of barley MLA resistance proteins and enables sufficient MLA6 accumulation for effective resistance. The Plant Cell 16, 3480-3495.

Schulze-Lefert P. (2004) Plant immunity: The origami of receptor activation. Current Biology 14: R22-R24.

Shen Q.-H., Zhou F., Bieri S., Haizel T., Shirasu K., and Schulze-Lefert P. (2003) Recognition specificity and RAR1/SGT1 dependence in barley Mla disease resistance genes to the powdery mildew fungus. Plant Cell 15: 732-744.

Shirasu K., and Schulze-Lefert P. (2003) Complex formation, promiscuity, and multi-functionality: protein interactions in disease resistance pathways. Trends in Plant Science 8: 252-258.

Azevedo C., Sadanandom A., Kitagawa K., Freialdenhoven A., Shirasu K., and Schulze-Lefert P. (2002) The RAR1 interactor SGT1, an essential component of R gene-triggered disease resistance. Science 295: 2073-2076.

Halterman D., Zhou F., Wei F., Wise R.P., and Schulze-Lefert P. (2001) The Mla6 coiled-coil, NBS-LRR protein confers AvrMla6-dependent resistance specificity to Blumeria graminis f.sp. hordei in barley and wheat. Plant J. 25: 335-348.

Zhou F., Kurth J., Wei F., Elliott C., Valè G., Yahiaoui N., Keller B., Somerville S., Wise R., and Schulze-Lefert P. (2001) Cell-autonomous expression of Barley Mla1 confers race-specific resistance to the powdery mildew fungus via a Rar1-independent signaling pathway. Plant Cell 13: 337-350.

Shirasu K., Lahaye T., Tan M.-W., Zhou F., Azevedo C., and Schulze-Lefert P. (1999) A novel class of eukaryotic zinc-binding proteins is required for disease resistance signaling in barley and development in C. elegans.Cell 99: 355-366.

Barley Genome Net - Organisation - MPIZ

roboter

plant genome centre at IPK

Hordeum spontaneum