© Universität Bielefeld
Research
Biology of the Seed Coat
Seed coats of most plants contain compounds called flavonoids (comprising e.g. flavonols, proanthocyanidins or condensed tannins). They help to protect the seed from deleterious influences like pathogens or light. Our aim is to learn more about the biosynthesis of seed coat flavonoids and its regulation. more
Crop genomics
The isolation of agronomic and scientific important genes is followed by forward and reverse genetics. Comparative approaches, positional cloning and TILLING of genes are the main strategies applied. more
Regulation of Flavonoid Biosynthesis
The main focus of this research group lies on the functional analysis of transcription factors regulating flavonoid biosynthesis in the model plant Arabidopsis thaliana and in crops as sugar beet (Beta vulgaris) and banana (Musa acuminata). Flavonoids are plant secondary metabolites, playing important roles in the interactions of plants with their environments. more
Structure and function of MYB genes in Arabidopsis thaliana
The MYB DNA-binding domain generally consists of up to four imperfect repeats (R), each forming a helix-turn-helix structure. Plants contain a MYB protein subfamily which is characterised by a R2R3-type MYB domain. Arabidopsis thaliana contains 126 R2R3-type MYB genes which control many aspects of plant secondary metabolism, as well as the identity and fate of plant cells. more
