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DFG Plant Chemical Diversity

Volatile terpenes, such as isoprene, mono- and sesquiterpenes, emitted under various environmental conditions by plants react very rapidly with reactive oxygen species (ROS, i.e. ozone & OH Radical) in the atmosphere. Rising evidence indicates that these molecules - before being evaporated - also react intracellularly with ROS (e.g. H2O2) and reactive nitrogen species (RNS, i.e. NO) influencing lifetime and concentration of these plant internal signaling molecules. Although the contours of isoprenes' (similar to some mono- and sesquiterpenes) functioning in plants becomes more clear, we are far away understanding the detailed mechanism. The present project makes use of existing transgenic Arabidopsis and poplar mutants altered in isoprene emission.

With these lines we will answer the following questions:

  1. Are the observed metabolic shifts in emitting vs. non-emitting plants due to changed C allocation patterns or result from impairment of signaling cascades involving ROS/RNS intermediates?
  2. Which role isoprene plays in plants' adaptation to abiotic stress, as i.e. drought, UV-B radiation, or chilling?
  3. Does isoprene emission in poplar contribute to priming (pre-adaptation) prior subsequent stress events?

Volatile terpenes, such as isoprene, mono- and sesquiterpenes, emitted under various environmental conditions by plants react very rapidly with reactive oxygen species (ROS, i.e. ozone & OH Radical) in the atmosphere. Rising evidence indicates that these molecules - before being evaporated - also react intracellularly with ROS (e.g. H2O2) and reactive nitrogen species (RNS, i.e. NO) influencing lifetime and concentration of these plant internal signaling molecules. Although the contours of isoprenes' (similar to some mono- and sesquiterpenes) functioning in plants becomes more clear, we are far away understanding the detailed mechanism. The present project makes use of existing transgenic Arabidopsis and poplar mutants altered in isoprene emission.

With these lines we will answer the following questions:

  1. Are the observed metabolic shifts in emitting vs. non-emitting plants due to changed C allocation patterns or result from impairment of signaling cascades involving ROS/RNS intermediates?
  2. Which role isoprene plays in plants' adaptation to abiotic stress, as i.e. drought, UV-B radiation, or chilling?
  3. Does isoprene emission in poplar contribute to priming (pre-adaptation) prior subsequent stress events?

Selected Publications

Miloradovic van Doorn M, Merl-Pham J, Ghirardo A, Fink S, Polle A, Schnitzler JP, Rosenkranz M (2020): Root isoprene formation alters lateral root development. Plant Cell & Environment 43, 2207-2223 .

Riedlmeier M, Ghirardo A, Wenig M, Knappe C, Koch K, Georgii E, Dey S, Parker JE, Schnitzler JP, Vlot AC (2017) Monoterpenes support systemic acquired resistance within and between plants. The Plant Cell 29.

Vanzo E, Merl-Pham J, Velikova V, Ghirardo A, Lindermayr C, Hauck SM, Bernhardt J, Riedel K, Durner J, Schnitzler JP (2016) Modulation of protein S-nitrosylation by isoprene emission in poplar. Plant Physiology 170, 1945-1961.

Ditengou FM, Müller A, Rosenkranz M, Felten J, Lasok H, Miloradovic van Doorn M, Legué V, Palme K, Schnitzler JP, Polle A (2015) Volatile signaling by sesquiterpenes from ectomycorrhizal fungi reprogrammes root architecture. Nature Communications 6, 6:6279.

 

Contact

Porträt Jörg-Peter Schnitzle

Prof. Dr. Jörg-Peter Schnitzler

Director of Department, Biologist View profile
Porträt Barbro Winkler

Dr. J. Barbro Winkler

Deputy Director, Biologist, Group Leader Ecophysiology

Dr. Andrea Ghirardo

Biotechnologist, Group Leader Environmental Simulation and Phenomics View profile

Moritz Popp

PhD student