Secondary Metabolism

The main research interests of the department are focused to phenolic and terpenoid compounds. The application of chemical, biochemical, molecular and physiological methods are combined into interdisciplinary approaches. Phenylpropanoid metabolism is investigated in terms of molecular regulation, ecophysiology and molecular phylogeny in Arabidopsis, rapeseed and tomato. Another focus is on the symbiotic relationship between plant roots and arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi. The major topics in this area are the role of phytohormones and the documentation of alterations in cytological structures. In additional projects mycorrhiza-mediated changes in carbohydrate and in carotenoid metabolism are investigated. These studies aim at elucidation of the molecular dialogue, which governs the initial development and the successful maintenance of the symbiosis.

Plant secondary metabolism provides us with a wealth of pharmaceuticals, pigments and aroma compounds. Plant natural products (secondary metabolites) are of fundamental importance in ecology by regulating the interaction of plants with their fellow neighbors and with other organisms like beneficial and harmful microbes as well as insects and other herbivores. The research in the department focuses on investigation of regulatory mechanisms governing the biosynthesis of plant secondary compounds and on the phylogeny of the enzymes and genes involved, particularly within phenylpropanoid and isoprenoid metabolism.

Two research groups (RGs) are involved in work on plant transferases, specifically malate- and choline hydroxycinnamic acid (HCA)-transferases and various HCA glycosyltransferases from Arabidopsis and oilseed rape (RG ‘Phenylpropanoid Metabolism’) and methyltransferases from the iceplant (RG ‘Metabolite Profiling and Protein Biochemistry’). Other transferases, which accept β-acetal esters as acyl donors could be classified as serine carboxypeptidase-like (SCPL) acyltransferases.  more...

Research

Dieter Strack

Michael H. Walter

Bettina Hause

Thomas Vogt