Structure – function analysis of cutin and the cuticle in Arabidopsis
Biochemistry
One of the important steps in the evolution of land plants is the formation of a primary barrier at the surface of aerial organs that limit the loss of water: the cuticle. The plant cuticle has evolved to a complex structure consisting of different lipid-derived compounds that plays a role in different aspects of plant biology ranging from stress protection to organ development. The research in our group is particularly directed on the elucidation of new components important for the formation of the cuticle and their significance for different cuticular functions. Arabidopsis thaliana is used as a model system for these studies.
Research topics
Structure - function analyses of cutin and the cuticle in Arabidopsis
Transgenic Arabidopsis plants expressing a fungal cutinase
Permeable cuticle (pec) mutants of Arabidopsis
Interdisciplinary
FTIR
Electron microscopy
Extracellular matrix compounds
Chemical analysis
Lipid, cell wall and cuticle analysis
Responses of plant to environmental changes (drought and pathogens)
