Plant Biochemistry and Physiology

Enlarge

+49 89 2180 74750

kunz@lmu.de

E03.001

CRC TRR 175

Research

Enlarge

Our research focuses on plant chloroplasts, particularly on transport processes within this organelle. The focus is on ion transport proteins—we investigate their substrates and their molecular functioning. We are also interested in questions concerning organelle development, signal transduction during stress, and photosynthesis. A single chloroplast contains about 2,000 proteins, many of which have hardly been characterized to date. To elucidate their function more quickly, we are developing new molecular tools with the help of synthetic DNA.

Methods and Approaches

Enlarge

We mainly use Arabidopsis thaliana (thale cress) as a model organism, but are increasingly turning to algae as exciting research systems.

Students can learn a variety of modern methods, including forward and reverse genetics, molecular biology (including CRISPR/Cas9), confocal fluorescence microscopy, in vivo photosynthesis measurements, elemental analysis, organelle isolation, protein biochemistry, and enzymology. In almost all areas of modern biology, sound computer skills and an understanding of bioinformatics are also essential.

Key Publications

Kunz HH, Armbruster U, Mühlbauer S, de Vries J, Davis GA (2024), Chloroplast ion homeostasis – what do we know and where should we go? New Phytol 243:543-559 doi: 10.1111/nph.19661

Howell AH, Völkner C, McGreevy P, Jensen KH, Waadt R, Gilroy S, Kunz HH, Peters SW, Knoblauch M (2023). Pavement cells distinguish touch from letting go. Nat Plants 9:877-882 doi: 10.1038/s41477-023-01418-9

Völkner C, Holzner LJ, Day PM, Ashok AD, de Vries J, Bölter B, Kunz HH (2021) Two plastid POLLUX ion channel-like proteins are required for stress-triggered stromal Ca2+ release. Plant Physiol 187: 2110-2125. doi.org/10.1093/plphys/kiab424

DeTar RA, Barahimipour R, Manavski N, Schwenkert S, Höhner R, Bölter B, Inaba T, Meurer J, Zoschke R, Kunz HH (2021) Loss of inner-envelope K+/H+ exchangers impairs plastid rRNA maturation and gene expression. Plant Cell 33: 3746. doi.org/10.1093/plcell/koab123

Höhner R, Day PM, Zimmermann SE, Lopez LS, Krämer M, Giavalisco P, Correa Galvis V, Armbruster U, Schöttler MA, Jahns P, Krüger S, Kunz HH (2021) Stromal NADH supplied by Phosphoglycerate Dehydrogenase 3 is crucial for photosynthetic performance. Plant Physiol 186: 142-167. doi.org/10.1093/plphys/kiaa117