Department of Molecular Ecology

The overarching objective of the research in the department is to manipulate ecological interactions in nature to identify traits that are demonstrably important for an organism’s Darwinian fitness in the complexity of interactions that occur in nature.  We focus on plant-mediated interactions and have developed ecological expression systems with two native plants that have a rich suite of ecological interactions, Nicotiana attenuata and Solanum nigrum, as well as the herbivores that feed on them, the fungi and bacteria that interact with their roots, and their floral visitors. We have developed molecular (transformation systems, VIGs silencing, cDNA and genomic libraries, cDNA and oligo microarrays, real time RT-PCR, microsatellites, SAGE, SSH, DD-RTPCR display ), analytical (high throughput HPLC and UPLC--MS (DAD, ion trap, TOF, triple Quad), GC-MS (quad,ion trap) and GCxGC-TOF, z-Nose) and ecological (field stations in Utah and Jena, insect cultures, and natural history expertise) tools to rigorously manipulate the genetic basis for ecological sophistication in these two plant systems.

  N. attenuata - insect interactions: early cellular events: Identification and genetic manipulation of early cellular mechanisms activated by insect elicitors (e.g., fatty acid amino acid conjugates (FACs)) and evaluation of their function in the specific responses of plants to insects in natural environments. 
Group Leader: Dr. Gustavo Bonaventure: Contact
 

Transcription factors mediating N. attenuata’s ecological interactions: Identification and genetic manipulation of  N. attenuata’s transcription factors that play central roles in allowing the plant to respond to environmental stresses.
Group Leader: Dr. Ivan Galis: Contact
 

Protein post-translational modification mediating N. attenuata’s ecological interactions: studies the roles of protein phosphorylation and nitrosylation in N. attenuata’s responses to environmental stresses.
Group Leader: Dr. Jianqiang Wu: Contact

Metabolomics of N. attenuata’s ecological interactions: uses metabolomic tools (GC-GC-TOF and HPLC-TOF) in combination with genetic tools to identify small molecules that mediate N. attenuata’s ecological interactions.
Group Leader: Dr. Emmanuel Gaquerel: Contact

N. attenuata - arbuscular mycorrhizae interactions: To understand the communication between the two partners and the consequences of infection for the plants’ Darwinian fitness in natural environments.
Group Leader: Dr. Karin Groten: Contact