Plant Biochemistry and Physiology

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+49 89 2180 74750

kunz@lmu.de

E03.001

CRC TRR 175

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Research

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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

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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

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

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

Holzner, Lorenz J; Östergaard Frank, Lucia; Mühlbauer, Susanne; Müller, Anna; Schröder, Laura; Seydel, Charlotte; Grünert, Jennifer; DeTar, Rachael A; Philippar, Katrin; Klingl, Andreas; ,The chloroplast ionome shines light on the dynamics of organellar iron homeostasis,The Plant Cell,2026,Oxford University Press US doi.org/10.1093/plcell/koag017

Brandt, Benjamin; Schwartz, Sebastian; Schwenkert, Serena; Krämer, Moritz; Om, Kuenzang; Engstler, Carina; Klingl, Andreas; Jahns, Peter; Meyer, Etienne H; DeTar, Rachael A; ,Plants tolerate substantial rates of plastid mistranslation via regulated proteostasis,Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences,123,22,e2537357123,2026,National Academy of Sciences doi.org/10.1073/pnas.2537357123

Mühlbauer, Susanne; Jaślan, Dawid; Nunes, Inês F Duarte; Brandt, Benjamin; Wutz, Lena; Mekkaoui, Khansa; Zenker, Sanja; Rehberger, Jakob; Rädler, Marlena; Holzner, Lorenz; ,PLASTID ENVELOPE ION CHANNELS (PEC1/2) link Ca2+ and jasmonic acid signaling in plant cells, Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America,123,35,e2525536123,2026, doi.org/10.1073/pnas.2525536123

See more publications https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/?term=Kunz+HH&filter=years.2005-2026