The research in my group is focused on understanding the regulation of flowering time and tree phenology, with a special interest in comparative biology studies of the genetic pathways that are conserved in controlling the two processes. With this approach we aim to contribute to our understanding of the evolution of annual vs. perennial life strategies.
Ove Nilsson at the UPSC tree phenotyping platform (photo: Fredrik Larsson)
My group has a special interest in the regulation and function of FT-like genes. We contributed to the first studies of the molecular mechanisms controlling flowering time in trees, showing that FT-like genes, that are central in the regulation of flowering time in annual plants, are functionally conserved in being very potent activators of flowering in trees.
Surprisingly, we could also show that FT-like genes in poplar trees control another important aspect of perennial growth behaviour: the short day-induced growth cessation and bud set that occurs in the fall. We have shown that the activity of the CO/FT regulon is partly conserved in the aspen tree and that short days induce a down-regulation of the activity of this regulon, leading to growth cessation and bud set. These findings have led to a completely new way of looking at the function of FT-like genes.

Subsequent studies in many different annual plants have now shown that these genes have a much more general role in controlling photoperiodic regulation of plant growth and development than was previously anticipated, based on work in Arabidopsis. We could also show that in sugar beet, only a two amino acid difference is critical in determining the sub-functionalization of two FT paralogs into either activators or repressors of flowering, and that the flowering repressor BvFT1 has a central role in the regulation of the biennial growth strategy in sugar beet.

We are now extending our comparative biology approach to study the similarities and differences in the regulation of flowering in Arabidopsis and the regulation of flowering and phenology in aspen (poplar) trees. Aspen trees have also two sub-functionalized FT-like genes, and we want to understand how these genes contribute to the regulation of growth cessation and bud set in the fall, as well as to the regulation of bud flush and growth in the spring.
We have also been involved in work showing that polymorphisms within one of the FT-like genes is the most important association that can be found to natural variation in adaptation to growth at different latitudes in Swedish aspen trees. We are investigating the mechanism for this adaptation in detail by studying the role of upstream regulators in the regulation of FT transcription in trees. We have also a long standing interest in extending this work to gymnosperm trees, like Norway spruce. Here, I have been involved in leading several large projects determining the genome sequences and developing genomic resources of conifers, including the first sequence of a gymnosperm, Norway spruce.
This work will provide us with a better understanding of the genetic pathways responsible for photoperiodic regulation of plant growth and development. It will also allow us to design new ways to enhance the speed of tree breeding through accelerated flowering and to adapt the growing period of trees to new climate zones and to a changing climate.
Key Publications
- Ding, J., Böhlenius, H., Rühl, M., Chen, P., Sane, S., Zambrano, J., Zheng, B., Eriksson, M. and Nilsson, O. (2018). GIGANTEA-like genes control seasonal growth cessation in Populus. New Phytologist 218: 1491-1503.
- Zhang, B., Holmlund, M., Lorrain, S., Norberg, M., Bakó, L., Fankhauser, C. and Nilsson, O. (2017). BLADE-ON-PETIOLE proteins act in an E3 ubiquitin ligase complex to regulate PHYTOCHROME INTERACTING FACTOR4 abundance. eLife 6:e26759.
- Nystedt B., Street N. et al. (2013). The Norway spruce genome sequence gives insights into conifer genome evolution. Nature 497: 579-584. (Nilsson O. Corresponding author).
- Pin P.A., Benlloch R., Bonnet D., Wremert-Weich E., Kraft T., Gielen J.L., Nilsson O. (2010). An antagonistic pair of FT homologs mediates the control of flowering time in sugar beet. Science 330: 1397-1400.
- Tuskan, G.A. et al. (The Populus Genome Consortium). 2006. The genome of black cottonwood, Populus trichocarpa (Torr. & Gray ex Brayshaw). Science 13: 1596-1604.
- Eriksson, S., Böhlenius, H., Moritz, T., Nilsson, O. 2006. GA4 is the active gibberellin in the regulation of LEAFY transcription and Arabidopsis floral initiation. Plant Cell 18: 2172-2181.
- Böhlenius, H., Huang, T., Charbonnel-Campaa, L., Brunner, A.M., Jansson, S., Strauss, S.H., Nilsson, O. 2006. The conserved CO/FT regulatory module controls timing of flowering and seasonal growth cessation in trees. Science 312: 1040-1043
- Norberg, M., Holmlund, M., Nilsson, O. 2005. The BLADE ON PETIOLE genes act redundantly to control the growth and development of lateral organs. Development 132: 2203-2201.
- Parcy, F., Nilsson, O., Busch, M. A., Lee, I. & Weigel, D. (1998). A genetic framework for floral patterning. Nature 395, 561-566.
- Weigel, D. & Nilsson, O. 1995. A developmental switch sufficient for flower initiation in diverse plants. Nature 377, 495-500.
CV Dr. Ove Nilsson
Education and academic degrees
- 1999: Docent, SLU, Umeå, Sweden
- 1995: PhD, SLU, Umeå, Sweden
- 1988: M.Sc, Umeå University, Sweden
- 1987: B.Sc, Gothenburg University, Sweden
Employments
- Since 2002: Professor, SLU, Umeå, Sweden
- 1997-2002: Assistant professor (forskarassistent), SLU, Umeå, Sweden
- 1995-1997: Postdoctoral fellow, the Salk Institute for Biological Studies, USA.
- 1998-1995: PhD student, SLU, Umeå, Sweden
Commisions of trust
- Since 2018: Board of directors of the Wallenberg Wood Science Centre
- Since 2012: Director, Umeå Plant Science Centre
- Since 2011: Board of directors of the Centre for Environmental and Resource Economics (CERE).
- Since 2006: Board of directors of SweTree Technologies AB
- 2005-2011: Chairman of the Board of Umeå Plant Science Centre
Prizes, Awards, Honours
- 2019: Elected into the Royal Swedish Academy of Agriculture and Forestry.
- 2017: Elected into the Swedish Royal Academy of Sciences.
- 2016: Elected member of the European Molecular Biology Organization (EMBO).
- 2012: Wallenberg Scholar.
- 2007: The Marcus Wallenberg Prize.
- 2001: Individual Grant for the Advancement of Research Leaders (INGVAR) from the Swedish Foundation for Strategic Research (SSF). Appointed as “Research leader of the future in academia and industry”.
Publication list
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Phytochrome B and PHYTOCHROME INTERACTING FACTOR8 modulate seasonal growth in trees
New Phytol. 2021 Mar 18 Epub ahead of print
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Peptide encoding Populus CLV3/ESR-RELATED 47 (PttCLE47) promotes cambial development and secondary xylem formation in hybrid aspen
New Phytol. 2020, 226(1):75-85
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Certification for gene-edited forests
Science. 2019 Aug 23;365(6455):767-768
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Integrative Analysis of Three RNA Sequencing Methods Identifies Mutually Exclusive Exons of MADS-Box Isoforms During Early Bud Development in Picea abies
FRONTIERS IN PLANT SCIENCE 2018, 8:1625
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LEAFY activity is post-transcriptionally regulated by BLADE ON PETIOLE2 and CULLIN3 in Arabidopsis
New Phytol. 2018, 220(2):579-592
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A major locus controls local adaptation and adaptive life history variation in a perennial plant
Genome Biol. 2018 Jun 4;19(1):72
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Transcriptome analysis of embryonic domains in Norway spruce reveals potential regulators of suspensor cell death
PLoS One. 2018, 13(3):e0192945
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GIGANTEA-like genes control seasonal growth cessation in Populus
New Phytol. 2018, 218 (4):1491-1503
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Transcriptional roadmap to seasonal variation in wood formation of Norway spruce
Plant Physiol. 2018, 176(4):2851-2870
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BLADE-ON-PETIOLE proteins act in an E3 ubiquitin ligase complex to regulate PHYTOCHROME INTERACTING FACTOR 4 abundance
Elife. 2017, e26759
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Functional metabolomics as a tool to analyze Mediator function and structure in plants
PLoS One. 2017 Jun 22;12(6):e0179640
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AspWood: High-spatial-resolution transcriptome profiles reveal uncharacterized modularity of wood formation in Populus tremula
Plant Cell. 2017, 29 (7):1585-1604
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WUSCHEL-RELATED HOMEOBOX4 (WOX4)-like genes regulate cambial cell division activity and secondary growth in Populus trees
New Phytol. 2017, 215 (2):642-657
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Autumn senescence in aspen is not triggered by day length
Physiol Plant. 2018, 162(1):123-134
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NorWood: a gene expression resource for evo-devo studies of conifer wood development
New Phytol. 2017, 216(2):482-494
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Low temperatures are required to induce the development of fertile flowers in transgenic male and female early flowering poplar (Populus tremula L.)
Tree Physiol. 2016, 36(5):667-677
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EU Regulations Impede Market Introduction of GM Forest Trees
Trends Plant Sci. 2016, 21(4):283-285
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Molecular regulation of phenology in trees-because the seasons they are a-changin'
Curr Opin Plant Biol. 2015, 29:73-79
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Electronic plants
Sci Adv. 2015; 1(10):e1501136
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FT overexpression induces precocious flowering and normal reproductive development in Eucalyptus
Plant Biotechnol J. 2016, 14 (2):808-819
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CLE peptide signaling in plants - the power of moving around
Physiol Plant. 2015, 155(1):74-87
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Class I KNOX transcription factors promote differentiation of cambial derivatives into xylem fibers in the Arabidopsis hypocotyl
Development 2014, 141(22):4311-4319
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Successful crossings with early flowering transgenic poplar: interspecific crossings, but not transgenesis, promoted aberrant phenotypes in offspring
Plant Biotechnol J. 2014; 12(8):1066-1074
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Insights into Conifer Giga-Genomes
Plant Physiol. 2014, 166(4):1724-32
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The Arabidopsis LRR-RLK, PXC1, is a regulator of secondary wall formation correlated with the TDIF-PXY/TDR-WOX4 signaling pathway
BMC Plant Biol. 2013; 13: 94. Published online 2013 July 1
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The Norway spruce genome sequence and conifer genome evolution
Nature 2013; 497(7451):579-584
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Klintenäs M, Pin PA, Benlloch R, Ingvarsson PK, Nilsson O
Analysis of conifer FLOWERING LOCUS T/TERMINAL FLOWER1-like genes provides evidence for dramatic biochemical evolution in the angiosperm FT lineage
New Phytol. 2012, 196(4):1260-1273
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Pin PA, Nilsson O
The multifaceted roles of FT in plant development
Plant Cell Environ. 2012 Jun 14 [Epub ahead of print]
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Pin PA, Zhang W, Vogt SH, Dally N, Büttner B, Schulze-Buxloh G, Jelly NS, Chia TY, Mutasa-Göttgens ES, Dohm JC, Himmelbauer H, Weisshaar B, Kraus J, Gielen JJ, Lommel M, Weyens G, Wahl B, Schechert A, Nilsson O, Jung C, Kraft T, Müller AE
The Role of a Pseudo-Response Regulator Gene in Life Cycle Adaptation and Domestication of Beet
Curr Biol. 2012, 22(12):1095-1101
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Plackett AR, Powers SJ, Fernandez-Garcia N, Urbanova T, Takebayashi Y, Seo M, Jikumaru Y, Benlloch R, Nilsson O, Ruiz-Rivero O, Phillips AL, Wilson ZA, Thomas SG, Hedden P
Analysis of the developmental roles of the Arabidopsis gibberellin 20-oxidases demonstrates that GA20ox1, -2, and -3 are the dominant paralogs.
Plant Cell. 2012; 24(3):941-60
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Elfving N, Davoine C, Benlloch R, Blomberg J, Brännström K, Müller D, Nilsson A, Ulfstedt M, Ronne H, Wingsle G, Nilsson O, Björklund S
The Arabidopsis thaliana Med25 mediator subunit integrates environmental cues to control plant development
Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America: 2011 108:8245-8250
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Pin PA, Benlloch R, Bonnet D, Wremerth-Weich E, Kraft T, Gielen JJL, Nilsson O
An antagonistic pair of FT homologs mediates the control of flowering time in sugar beet
Science: 2010 330:1397-1400
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Nilsson O
Plant Evolution: Measuring the length of the day
Current Biology: 2009 19:R302-R303
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Rieu I, Eriksson S, Powers SJ, Gong F, Griffiths J, Woodley L, Benlloch R, Nilsson O, Thomas SG, Hedden P, Phillips AL
Genetic analysis reveals that C-19-GA 2 oxidation is a major gibberellin inactivation pathway in Arabidopsis
The Plant Cell: 2008 20(9):2420-2436
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Rieu I, Eriksson S, Powers SJ, Gong F, Griffiths J, Woodley L, Benlloch R, Nilsson O, Thomas SG, Hedden P, Phillips AL
Genetic analysis reveals that C-19-GA 2 oxidation is a major gibberellin inactivation pathway in Arabidopsis
The Plant Cell: 2008 20(9):2420-2436
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Rieu I, Ruiz-Rivero O, Fernandez-Garcia N, Griffiths J, Powers SJ, Gong F, Linhartova T, Eriksson S, Nilsson O, Thomas SG, Phillips A, Hedden P
The gibberellin biosynthetic genes AtGA20ox1 and AtGA20ox2 act, partially redundantly, to promote growth and development throughout the Arabidopsis life cycle
The Plant Journal: 2008 53:488-504
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Rieu I, Ruiz-Rivero O, Fernandez-Garcia N, Griffiths J, Powers SJ, Gong F, Linhartova T, Eriksson S, Nilsson O, Thomas SG, Phillips A, Hedden P
The gibberellin biosynthetic genes AtGA20ox1 and AtGA20ox2 act, partially redundantly, to promote growth and development throughout the Arabidopsis life cycle
The Plant Journal: 2008 53:488-504
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Bohlenius H, Huang T, Charbonnel-Campaa L, Brunner AM, Jansson S, Strauss SH, Nilsson O
CO/FT regulatory module controls timing of flowering and seasonal growth cessation in trees
Science: 2006 312:1040-1043
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Tuskan GA, DiFazio S, Jansson S, Bohlmann J, Grigoriev I, Hellsten U, Putnam N, Ralph S, Rombauts S, Salamov A, Schein J, Sterck L, Aerts A, Bhalerao RR, Bhalerao RP, Blaudez D, Boerjan W, Brun A, Brunner A, Busov V, Campbell M, Carlson J, Chalot M, Chapman J, Chen GL, Cooper D, Coutinho PM, Couturier J, Covert S, Cronk Q, Cunningham R, Davis J, Degroeve S, Dejardin A, Depamphilis C, Detter J, Dirks B, Dubchak I, Duplessis S, Ehlting J, Ellis B, Gendler K, Goodstein D, Gribskov M, Grimwood J, Groover A, Gunter L, Hamberger B, Heinze B, Helariutta Y, Henrissat B, Holligan D, Holt R, Huang W, Islam-Faridi N, Jones S, Jones-Rhoades M, Jorgensen R, Joshi C, Kangasjarvi J, Karlsson J, Kelleher C, Kirkpatrick R, Kirst M, Kohler A, Kalluri U, Larimer F, Leebens-Mack J, Leple JC, Locascio P, Lou Y, Lucas S, Martin F, Montanini B, Napoli C, Nelson DR, Nelson C, Nieminen K, Nilsson O, Pereda V, Peter G, Philippe R, Pilate G, Poliakov A, Razumovskaya J, Richardson P, Rinaldi C, Ritland K, Rouze P, Ryaboy D, Schmutz J, Schrader J, Segerman B, Shin H, Siddiqui A, Sterky F, Terry A, Tsai CJ, Uberbacher E, Unneberg P, Vahala J, Wall K, Wessler S, Yang G, Yin T, Douglas C, Marra M, Sandberg G, de Peer YV, Rokhsar D
The genome of black cottonwood, Populus trichocarpa (Torr. & Gray)
Science: 2006 313:1596-1604
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Norberg M, Holmlund M, Nilsson O
The BLADE ON PETIOLE genes act redundantly to control the growth and development of lateral organs
Development: 2005 132:2203-2213
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Andersson A, Keskitalo J, Sjodin A, Bhalerao R, Sterky F, Wissel K, Tandre K, Aspeborg H, Moyle R, Ohmiya Y, Bhalerao R, Brunner A, Gustafsson P, Karlsson J, Lundeberg J, Nilsson O, Sandberg G, Strauss S, Sundberg B, Uhlen M, Jansson S, Nilsson P
A transcriptional timetable of autumn senescence
Genome Biology: 2004 5:R24
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Brunner AM, Nilsson O
Revisiting tree maturation and floral initiation in the poplar functional genomics era
New Phytologist: 2004 164:43-51
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Sterky F, Bhalerao RR, Unneberg P, Segerman B, Nilsson P, Brunner AM, Campaa LC, Lindvall JJ, Tandre K, Strauss SH, Sundberg B, Gustafsson P, UhlEn M, Bhalerao RP, Nilsson O, Sandberg G, Karlsson J, Lundeberg J, Jansson S
A Populus EST resource for plant functional genomics
Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A: 2004 101:13951-13956
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Bhalerao R, Nilsson O, Sandberg G
Out of the woods: forest biotechnology enters the genomic era
Curr Opin Biotechnol: 2003 14:206-213
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Nilsson O, Lee I, Blázquez MA, Weigel D
Flowering-time genes modulate the response to LEAFY activity
Genetics: 1998 150:403-410
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Parcy F, Nilsson O, Busch MA, Lee I, Weigel D
A genetic framework for floral patterning
Nature: 1998 395:561-566
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Blazquez MA, Green R, Nilsson O, Sussman MR, Weigel D
Gibberellins promote flowering of Arabidopsis by activating the LEAFY promoter
Plant Cell: 1998 10:791-800
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Nilsson O, Wu E, Wolfe DS, Weigel D
Genetic ablation of flowers in transgenic Arabidopsis
Plant J: 1998 15:799-804
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Lee I, Wolfe DS, Nilsson O, Weigel D
A LEAFY co-regulator encoded by UNUSUAL FLORAL ORGANS
Curr Biol: 1997 7:95-104
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Nilsson O, Weigel D
Modulating the timing of flowering
Current Opinion in Biotechnology: 1997 8:195-199
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Nilsson O, Olsson O
Getting to the root: The role of the Agrobacterium rhizogenes rol genes in the formation of hairy roots
Physiologia Plantarum: 1997 100:463-473
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Nilsson O, Tuominen H, Sundberg B, Olsson O
The Agrobacterium rhizogenes rolB and rolC promoters are expressed in pericycle cells competent to serve as root initials in transgenic hybrid aspen
Physiologia Plantarum: 1997 100:456-462
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Nilsson O, Little CHA, Sandberg G, Olsson O
Expression of two heterologous promoters, Agrobacterium rhizogenes rolC and cauliflower mosaic virus 35S, in the stem of transgenic hybrid aspen plants during the annual cycle of growth and dormancy
Plant Molecular Biology: 1996 31:887-895
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Nilsson O, Moritz T, Sundberg B, Sandberg G, Olsson O
Expression of the Agrobacterium rhizogenes rolC Gene in a Deciduous Forest Tree Alters Growth and Development and Leads to Stem Fasciation
Plant Physiol: 1996 112:493-502
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Weigel D, Nilsson O
A developmental switch sufficient for flower initiation in diverse plants
Nature: 1995 377:495-500
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Imbault N, Moritz T, Nilsson O, Chen HJ, Bollmark M, Sandberg G
Separation and Identification of Cytokinins Using Combined Capillary Liquid-Chromatography Mass-Spectrometry
Biological Mass Spectrometry: 1993 22:201-210
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Nilsson O, Crozier A, Schmulling T, Sandberg G, Olsson O
Indole- 3- Acetic- Acid Homeostasis in Transgenic Tobacco Plants Expressing the Agrobacterium- Rhizogenes Rolb Gene
Plant Journal: 1993 3:681-689
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Nilsson O, Moritz T, Imbault N, Sandberg G, Olsson O
Hormonal Characterization of Transgenic Tobacco Plants Expressing the Rolc Gene of Agrobacterium-Rhizogenes Tl-DNA
Plant Physiology: 1993 102:363-371
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Olsson O, Nilsson O, Koncz C
Novel monomeric luciferase enzymes as tools to study plant gene regulation in vivo
J Biolumin Chemilumin: 1990 5:79-87