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Christiane Funk Project Page

Assembly and Degradation of Pigment-binding Proteins

In photosynthetic systems of cyanobacteria and plants, pigment-binding proteins are responsible for the absorption of light energy. Antenna pigments (chlorophyll and carotenoids) harvest light energy, and rapidly transfer it to nearby pigments, eventually it will reach the reaction center. The main purpose of the proteins is to keep the pigments in their proper location and orientation, so that energy transfer is efficient. Ligation of chlorophyll to the pigment-binding proteins is a central step in the assembly of the photosynthetic apparatus. This process is complicated by the facts that a) free chlorophyll might damage the cell (photooxidative activity in the light) and b) the pigment-binding proteins are stabilized by chlorophyll, but in the absence ofÂ pigments they are rapidly degraded. Therefore this process has to be highly coordinated, possibly by the use of special pigment-carrier proteins.

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PI: Christiane Funk

Henrik Antti Project Page

Predictive Metabolomics

So far, metabolomics results have been based on isolated studies usually sparsely validated in terms of predictions of independent sample sets or verification over multiple studies. In order to move the metabolomic technology from isolated studies to diagnostic (predictive) systems there is a need for new data processing and chemometric tools.

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PI: Henrik Antti

Johan Trygg Project Page

Chemometrics in Systems biology and Process Analytical Technologies

Within Systems biology, we work alongside UPSC and FuncFiber Excellence centres at Umeå University, to unravel the function of genes in transgenic poplar trees. We are developing data driven tools and strategies on how to combine, model and predict biological information based on transgenic trees generated from multiple profiling platforms (e.g. NIR, FTIR-imaging, PyMS, metabolomics, enzymology and transcriptomics). In the Process Analytical Technologies area, we are working together with the pharmaceutical industry, AstraZeneca and GlaxoSmithKline, to increase the understanding of manufacturing processes by multi-step experimental design, multivariate characterisation (e.g. spectroscopy and imaging technologies), real-time monitoring, and state of the art modelling.

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PI: Johan Trygg

Pär Ingvarsson - Project Page

Quantitative and Molecular Population Genetics of Adaptation

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My group is involved in studying the genetic basis of local adaptation in traits of ecological relevance. Currently we are studying phenological traits that are responsible for climatic adaptations in European aspen (Populus tremula). We have established two common gardens of P. tremula clones collected from twelve populations across Sweden (the SwAsp collection) and are currently using this collection to study levels of nucleotide polymorphism, linkage disequilibrium and patterns of haplotype structure along a latitudinal gradient across Sweden. We are also using association mapping to dissect the genetic architecture of quantitative traits and to link variation in putative candidate genes to phenotypic variation in bud phenology.

PI: Pär K. Ingvarsson

Thomas Kieselbach Project Page

Functions of the chloroplast lumen of higher plants

Oxygenic photosynthesis is fundamental for life on earth, and it has its centre in the thylakoid membrane of the chloroplast. The major photosynthetic protein complexes in the thylakoid membrane have been studied in detail, but for a long time there was little known of the proteins within the thylakoid lumen. During the recent years the thylakoid lumen has become a new and exciting research field.

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PI: Thomas Kieselbach

Wolfgang Schröder Project Page

Functional studies of photosystem II

Photosynthesis is the process in which solar energy is converted to chemical energy that is stored in energy rich compounds (starch) and is utilised directly or indirectly by all vertebrates on this planet. The by-product of photosynthesis, oxygen, has rendered an atmosphere around our earth and enabled life to move from the oceans to land. How do the sessile plants cope with the constantly changing environmental situations, to be able to optimise the process of photosynthesis? To be able to address this important question we have been working along two lines of research:

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PI: Wolfgang Schröder

Xiao-Ru Wang Project Page

My research activities can be briefly grouped as the followings:

Hybrid speciation and adaptive evolution. This research investigates the evolutionary significance of hybridization in the formation of new plant species, and the genetic mechanisms underlying the adaptive evolution in hybrid. Pinus densata, a hybrid pine distributed on the Tibetan Plateau is used as the study system.
Molecular evolution and phylogeography. Extensive sequence analyses have been employed to study the patterns of gene family evolution in plants and microorganisms. Functional analysis is incorporated to delimit the adaptive significance visible in the sequence evolutionary pattern.
Forest genetics and tree breeding. Genetic markers are developed for various important conifers (e.g. Pinus, Picea spp.) and used to evaluate the mating system of seed orchards and the genetic resources in breeding, conservation and natural populations.
Fungal diagnostic research. Plant and animal pathogenic fungi are studied for patterns of nucleotide variations. Molecular diagnostic techniques are developed for rapid detection, identification and quantification of pathogenic fungi in environmental samples.

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Recent Publications

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March 2010

Wednesday, March 10, 2010
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