Events under 'Seminar'

UPSC Seminar

Speaker:
Guadalupe Dominguez

Title: Functional analysis of ASR1 transcription factor in Solanaceae

Host
Totte Niitylä

Place: Lilla hörsalen KB3A9

UPSC Seminar

Speaker:
John O'Neill
MRC Laboratory of Molecular Biology
Cambridge University, UK

Title: Metabolic Oscillations in Yeast and Circatidal Cycles in Eurydice pulchra share - Features Conserved among Circadian Rhythms

Host. Maria Eriksson

Place: Lilla hörsalen, KB3A9, KBC

Abstract:
Circadian rhythms allow organisms to temporally orchestrate their internal state to anticipate and/or resonate with the external environment. Although 24-hr periodicity is observed across aerobic eukaryotes, the central mechanism has been hard to dissect because few simple models exist, and known clock proteins are not conserved across phylogenetic kingdoms. In contrast, contributions to timekeeping made by a handful of post-translational mechanisms, such as phosphorylation of clock proteins by casein kinase 1, appear conserved among phyla. These kinases have many other essential cellular functions and are better conserved in their contribution to timekeeping than any of the clock proteins they phosphorylate. Temperature compensation and metabolic rhythms are other universal features of circadian timekeeping. Here, we use comparative chronobiology to distinguish fundamental clock mechanisms from species-specific adaptations and thereby identify features shared between the mammalian cellular clock, ultradian respiratory oscillations in budding yeast and circatidal rhythms in the crustacean Eurydice pulchra. Our data point to common mechanisms underlying all three biological rhythms and suggest two interpretations: either certain biochemical systems are simply permissive for cellular oscillations (with frequencies from hours to days) or this commonality arose via divergence from an ancestral cellular clock.

UPSC Seminar


Speaker:
John Baison
postdoc

Title:
Identification of disease resistance candidate genes in three Malus populations

Local: Lilla hörsalen KB3A9

Host: Totte Niittylä and Rosario Garcia Gil

UPSC-Seminar

Shinya Kajita
Graduate School of Bio-Applications and System Engineering, Tokyo University of Agriculture and Technology

Title of the seminar:
Genetic engineering of lignin using a bacterial gene

Host: Edouard Pesquet
Room: Lilla hörsalen KB3A9

Lignin is one of the major components of the plant cell wall. It is an aromatic polymer with different types of chemical linkage. The most abundant linkage unit in typical native dicot lignin is the ß-aryl ether (ß–O–4) unit, which accounts for over 50% of all units. The benzylic ß-positions of ß–O–4-units are usually hydroxy-substituted. The ß-keto-ß–O–4 units, with carbonyl groups at the benzylic positions, are also found in natural lignins at very low concentrations. These ß-keto ß–O–4 units can be cleaved under alkaline and/or oxidative conditions more easily and faster than the typical ß–O–4-units with benzylic hydroxyl groups. Thus, increasing the abundance of ß-keto-ß–O–4 units as opposed to the typical ß-hydroxy-ß–O–4 units in the lignin backbone can contribute to a reduction in the cost and energy required for chemical pulping and biomass pretreatment processes in cellulosic ethanol production.

Sphingobium sp. strain SYK-6 , a gram-negative bacterium, can utilize various monomeric and dimeric aromatic compounds that are intermediates in the lignin biosynthetic pathway, such as cinnamic acid, cinnamaldehyde, and ß–O–4 dimers. In our previous studies, we isolated and characterized a lot of genes from the bacterium, which were involved in the degradation of these compounds. One of the genes, ligD, encodes C? dehydrogenase, which catalyzes the first step in the cleavage of the ether bond of ß–O–4 dimers. This enzyme oxidizes the alcohol group at benzyl position of the dimers and oligomers to the carbonyl group. Thus, in the present study, we introduced ligD into the plant genome and attempted to generate transgenic plants whose lignin can be easy to remove from the holocellulose fraction. Recombinant LigD , and transgenic Arabidopsis plants with ligD and their lignins have been characterized by chemical, biochemical, and genetic methods.

Reference: Tsuji et al. Plant Biotech J, 13, 821-832 (2015).

Title: Exploring Loblolly Pine Genetic Diversity Using Genotyping-By-Sequencing: Initial Results
Ross Whetten
North Carolina State University, USA

Host: Harry Wu

Time & Place: 2015-10-02 14.00 Stora Hörsalen KBC

Speaker: Stefano Manzoni – Department of Physical Geography, Stockholm University
Title: Eco-hydrological optimality explains global patterns in plant hydraulic traits
Time & Place: Thursday 15th October 2015 14:00-15:00 Room KB3B3

Abstract: Plant hydraulic traits exhibit both trade-offs (e.g., xylem safety vs. efficiency) and coordination (e.g., correlation of liquid- and gas-phase conductances). While some of these patterns can be explained by physiological features at the conduit scale, here we present the hypothesis that trait coordination and trade-offs can emerge from eco-hydrological optimality criteria. In the short-term and in moist conditions, plants need to transport water fast to match the atmospheric evaporative demand, which causes a steep water potential gradient between leaves and soil. The larger this gradient, the higher the transpiration rate, until cavitation ensues and xylem hydraulic conductivity is decreased. Hence, there is a tradeoff between hydraulic efficiency and driving force, resulting in maximum transpiration rates at intermediate values of leaf water potential. Using a minimalist model of plant hydraulics, we show that maximum transpiration can be attained when saturated hydraulic conductivity and resistance to cavitation are inversely proportional (i.e., there is a xylem safety vs. efficiency trade-off), and that indeed maximum rates are reached across biomes. Plants also need to use soil water effectively when it becomes limiting. To do so, two strategies might be selected for: avoidance of hydraulic failure in dry periods and long-term maximization of transpiration rate (assumed as a proxy for plant fitness). Results show that both strategies require that stomatal closure is coordinated with loss of conductivity due to cavitation. Moreover, the optimal combinations of xylem and stomatal traits depend on both total rainfall and its distribution during the growing season. Drier conditions or intense rainfall events interspaced by prolonged dry spells favor plants with high resistance to cavitation and delayed stomatal closure as soils dry. In contrast, plants in mesic conditions benefit from cavitation prevention through earlier stomatal closure. The proposed eco-hydrological optimality criteria can be used as analytical tools to interpret variability in plant water use and predict trends in plant productivity and species composition under future climates.

Speaker: Simon Hawkins – Plant Fiber Team, UGSF, UMR CNRS 8576. University of Lille 1, France
Title: Organ-specific proteomics and targeted cell wall analyses in flax
Time & Place: Friday 16th October 2015 10:00-11:00 Room KB3B3

Abstract: Flax (Linum usitatissimum L.) is a fiber plant species that has been used since antiquity for the fabrication of textiles (linen), as well as for the production of oil (linseed). Flax is also an excellent model to study cell wall biology as the inner- and outer-stem tissues of this plant contain cells with highly contrasted wall compositions. Cells from the inner xylem core have heavily lignified secondary cell walls containing up to 31 % lignin whereas the thick secondary cell walls of the long bast fibers present in outer stem tissues are richer in cellulose and contain only 4 % lignin. The use of an organ-specific proteomics approach allowed us to identify 1,242 non-redundant proteins present in 3 different fractions (soluble, membrane and cell wall) from 4 different flax organs (inner-/outer-stems, leaves and roots). Subsequent analyses of these proteins, as well as of other published flax proteomics data, enabled us to identify 405 proteins potentially involved in cell wall metabolism in this species. A study of potential protein networks using STRING (http://string-db.org) underlined organ-/tissue-specific differences in protein networks potentially related to contrasted cell wall structure/metabolisms. Phylogenetic analyses of the flax cell wall proteins also allowed us to identify a marked paralogy in the XTH (Xyloglucan endotransglucosylase/hydrolase) IIIA family involved in cell wall remodeling events and potentially associated with the differentiation of flax bast fibers.

Speaker: Ioanna Antoniadi
Title: Heterogeneous intra- and extra-cellular distribution and perception of cytokinins in Arabidopsis roots
Host: Karin Ljung

UPSC Seminar Series 2015

Speaker
Michael Karady
Postdoc

Title:
Organic electronic ionic pumps and plant hormone analysis


Place:
Lilla hörsalen, KB3A9

UPSC
Halftime - Seminar

Julia Haas

Title:
Abiotic stress and the role of the microbiome in Norway spruce establishment and growth

Place: Lilla hörsalen, KB3A9

UPSC Seminar Series
Post-doc Seminar


Speaker:
Nicolas Delhomme

Title:
The “de facto” UPSC Bioinformatics Facility formalisation and its ongoing research


Place: Lilla hörsalen, KB3A9

UPSC - Seminars

Speaker:
Christian S. Hardtke
University of Lausanne, Switzerland

Title:
Autocrine peptide signals, self-organization
and zombie cells: molecular switches in phloem formation


Host: Ove Nilsson
Place: Lilla hörsalen KB3A9

UPSC Seminar Series

Speaker:
Wei Wang

Title:
Characterization of SUGAR RESPONSIVE (SRV) gene family in Arabidopsis and a serendipitous discovery of an embryo lethal mutant jotunn (jot)

Place: Lilla Hörsalen KB3A9

UPSC Seminar Series 2015/2016
Cutting Edge Seminar

Michael Lynch
Department of Biology
Indiana University

Title: “Mutation, Drift, and the Origins of Cellular Features”


Host: Rosario García Gil

Place: Lilla hörsalen, KB3A9


Michael Lynch's website:
http://www.bio.indiana.edu/faculty/directory/profile.php?person=milynch

Wednesday 27th January 14.00-15.00
UPSC Seminar

Speaker:
Jim Whelan, Professor
ARC Centre of Excellence in Plant Energy Biology
La Trobe Co-Director, Centre for AgriBioscience
RFA Director: Securing Food, Water and the Environment
Department of Animal, Plant and Soil Science, School of Life Science La Trobe University , Victoria, 3086 , Australia

Title: Mitochondrial Signalling


Room: KB4C10

Host: Olivier Keech

UPSC - Seminar Series
Half-Time seminar

Speaker:
Christoffer Johnsson

Title: Understanding secondary xylem formation and creating tools for modifying it


Place Lilla hörsalen KB3A9
Host: Urs Fischer

UPSC Seminar Series
Halftime Seminar

Speaker:
Daria Chrobok

Title: Dissecting the metabolic role of mitochondria during leaf senescence in Arabidopsis thaliana

Host: Olivier Keech

UPSC Seminar Series
Cutting Edge Seminar

Speaker 
Seth Davis
Chair of Plant Biology
Department of Biology, University of York
Heslington, York, UK

Title: Plant circadian clocks: mechanisms and purposes

Host: Maria Eriksson

Place: Lilla hörsalen, KB3A9, KBC

Abstract:

Plant circadian clocks: mechanisms and purposes
Plant growth and stress resistance are coordinated outputs that respond to predictable environmental variation that results from the earth's rotation. An interplay exists between exogenous environmental sensing and endogenous responses. Plants use a circadian clock to time such processes such that homeostasis is achieved. This creates fitness and maximizes growth. The circadian clock itself is a multiple transcriptional-translational feedback system that provides temporal information to coordinate stress resistance and metabolic responses. In this talk I will overview clock mechanism and then highlight our current efforts to examine the metabolic, stress response and circadian systems as integrated processes. Their combined effects on growth and development will be explored in a dicot and a monocot, both in the lab and in the field.

UPSC Seminar Series - Cutting Edge Seminar

Speaker
Dave C. Nelson
Department of Genetics, University of Georgia, Athens
USA

Title: Smoke and hormone mirrors: karrikins and strigolactones control plant growth through homologous signaling mechanisms

Host: Stephanie Robert & Olivier Keech

Recent key publications:

(Full list at https://goo.gl/6b2tkK)

Conn CE, Bythell-Douglas R, Neumann D, Yoshida S, Whittington B, Westwood JH, Shirasu K, Bond CS, Dyer KA, Nelson DC. (2015) “Convergent evolution of strigolactone perception enabled host detection in parasitic plants.” Science, 349:540-43.

Soundappan I, Bennett T, Morffy N, Yueyang L, Stanga JP, Abbas A, Leyser O, Nelson DC. (2015) “SMAX1-LIKE/D53 family members enable distinct MAX2-dependent responses to strigolactones and karrikins in Arabidopsis.” Plant Cell, 27:3143-59.  

Morffy N, Faure L, Nelson DC. (2016) “Smoke and hormone mirrors: action and evolution of karrikin and strigolactone signaling.” Trends in Genetics, doi:10.1016/j.tig.2016.01.002 (available online 2/2/16)

Conn CE, Nelson DC. (2016) “Evidence that KARRIKIN-INSENSITIVE2 (KAI2) receptors may perceive an unknown signal that is not karrikin or strigolactone.” Frontiers in Plant Science, 6:1219.

UPSC Seminar Series
Half-time Seminar

Speaker:
Bernard Wessels

Title: Ethylene signalling and wood development in Populus



Host: Hannele Tuominen

NEW! UPSC Seminar

Speaker:
Andrew Groover
Department of Plant Biology
College of Biological Sciences, University of California, Davis, USA

Titel:
Genomic-enabled insights into growth and wood formation of Populus.

Host: Hannele Tuominen

Place: KB3A9

More about Andrew Groover
 

Cutting Edge Seminar

Speaker:
Claus Schwechheimer
Technische Universität München TUM, School of Life Sciences
Weihenstephan/Munich, Germany

Title: PIN-ning down the function of D6PK protein kinases in auxin transport

Host: Markus Schmid
Place Lilla hörsalen, KB3A9


Abstract:
The biosynthesis and proper distribution of the plant hormone auxin within the plant influences almost every aspect of plant growth and development. To the largest extent, differences in the morphology between plants are the results of differential auxin distribution and auxin actions at the level of individual plants cells. Whereas auxin transport from cell to cell and within a plant had for a long time been inferred solely based on the polar distribution of PIN auxin exporters, we have recently shown that PINs require activation by protein kinases, such as the D6 PROTEIN KINASE, to become active auxin transporters. I will describe the biochemistry of D6PK and mechanisms that are required for targeting D6PK to the plasma membrane and the PINs. I will also present data that challenge the current view of how PIN polarity is controlled by phosphorylation. Finally, I will highlight some other regulatory functions of D6PK that are independent of PIN-dependent auxin transport control.

Relevant References:
Arabidopsis D6PK is a lipid domain-dependent mediator of root epidermal planar polarity. Stanislas T et al.; Nature Plants 1, 15162 (2015)
Dynamic control of auxin transport-dependent growth by AGCVIII protein kinases. Barbosa IC and Schwechheimer C.; Curr Opin Plant Biol (2014) 22:108-15.
Auxin efflux by PIN-FORMED proteins is activated by two different protein kinases, D6 PROTEIN KINASE and PINOID. Zourelidou M et al. Elife (2014) 19;3.
D6 PROTEIN KINASE activates auxin transport-dependent growth and PIN-FORMED phosphorylation at the plasma membrane. Barbosa IC, Zourelidou M, Willige BC, Weller B, Schwechheimer C. Dev Cell (2014) 29(6):674-85.
D6PK AGCVIII kinases are required for auxin transport and phototropic hypocotyl bending in Arabidopsis. Willige BC et al. Plant Cell (2013) 25(5):1674-88
The polarly localized D6 PROTEIN KINASE is required for efficient auxin transport in Arabidopsis thaliana. Zourelidou M, Müller I, Willige BC, Nill C, Jikumaru Y, Li H, Schwechheimer C. Development. 2009 Feb;136(4):627-36.

In addition to the work on auxin transport that Claus will discuss about in his presentation, his lab has a long-staninding interest in the function of the COP9 signalosome and gibberellic acid (GA) signaling. More information can be found here: http://sysbiol.wzw.tum.de/index.php?id=2&L=1

UPSC Seminar Series
Postdoc seminar


Speaker
Raphael Decou
postdoc


Title:
Features and analysis of lignin accumulation, composition, distribution and regulation in A. thaliana




Place Lilla hörsalen, KB3A9
Host: Edouard Pesquet

UPSC Seminar
Postdoc Seminar

Speaker:
Thomas Dobrenel

Title: Deciphering the role of the TOR-SnRK1 axis on metabolism reprogramming in Arabidopsis



Host: Johannes Hansen

Place: Lilla Hörsalen, KB3A9

NOTE CHANGED DATE and TIME!

UPSC Cutting Edge Seminar

Speakers:
Maria Albani and Wim Soppe
Max Planck Institute for Plant Breeding Research
Cologne, Germany

Titles:
Maria Albani: Arabis alpina as a model system to study flowering and perennial traits

Wim Soppe: How do seeds wake up in time?

Host: Rishikesh Bhalerao

Place: KBC- Building KB3B1, Stora hörsalen

UPSC Seminar Series
Halftime-Seminar


Speaker:
Abdellah Lakehal

Title: Unraveling the molecular mechanism controlling adventitious root initiation and cell reprogramming in Arabidopsis hypocotyl


Place: Lilla hörsalen
Host: Catherine Belini

Speaker: Stefania Giacomello, SciLife Lab
Title: Spatially resolved global transcriptomics in plants
Time & Place:  Moday 18/4 2016, 15.15, KBF30, UPSC

UPSC Seminar Series
Postdoc Seminar


Speaker:
Pal Miskolczi

Title: Photoperiodic control of growth cessation and dormancy in hybrid aspen



Place: Lilla hörsalen, KB3A9

Host: Rishikesh Bhalerao

8.30	Arne Pommerening, professor i skoglig matematisk statistik
	Title: Can't see the wood for the trees? - The journey of mathematical forestry
9.00	Vaughan Hurry, professor i skogsträdens fysiologi
	Title: Life in a hothouse world
10.00	Karin Ljung, professor in plant physiology
	Title: Forskningen går under jorden – Vad kan ett ogräs lära oss om växters och träds rotutveckling?
10.30	David Parsons, professor i växtodlingslära
	Title: Agricultural Systems – Finding clarity in the complexity

 
For more information look here: Nya professor at SLU Umeå

Cutting edge seminar

Speaker:
Rainer Hedrich

Title: 
Carnivory - how to turn the sword around

Host: Catherine Bellini

Room: KB3A9 Lilla hörsalen