Max Planck Institute for Molecular Plant Physiology
The Max Planck Institute for Molecular Plant Physiology ( MPI) in Potsdam was founded in January 1994. Directors of the Institute are Lothar Willmitzer ( founding director ), the English biochemist Mark Stitt and the German Ralph Bock.
Research area
The aim of the research at the Max Planck Institute for Molecular Plant Physiology is to examine the overall system plant with its complex processes such as absorption of substances, construction, storage, transport and mobilization of plant constituents and understand. Herbal ingredients may be of low molecular weight substances such as sugars, amino acids and vitamins, but also high molecular weight polymers such as starch or cellulose. Furthermore, signal functions of ingredients and regulatory factors of interest, for example, to answer the whole question of how communication between the various organs of a plant works.
Newly established at the Institute was established in 2005 the Plastidenforschung by expanding the institute on three departments. Plastids are small organelles in which perform important processes such as energy production, hydrogen storage and the synthesis of some specific vitamins. These cell components could in the future, both play a role in the development and production of therapeutic agents in plants for the treatment of diseases and contribute to the environmental safety of genetically modified plants. Evolution and Molecular Ecophysiology will in future form further research areas of the Institute, to reach a total of a comprehensive understanding of the "system plant".
Research approach
While it used consisted in plant physiology to a more descriptive science, one tries today to fathom the mysteries of the plant using the methods of molecular biology and genetics.
One approach at the Institute to educate the plant metabolic processes consists of exposing plants to different environmental conditions. Changing environmental conditions in the plant cause a change in the characteristic value. Characteristic values can be not only visible externally, such as the leaf shape or sheet size, but they can also be invisible like the composition of the ingredients. Extensive analysis of a correlation between a specific characteristic value and a gene, and thus the function of the gene can be produced.
The reverse approach is taken in the use of plants with different genetic makeup (genetic diversity) at constant growth conditions. Here, on the one hand the naturally occurring genetic diversity of plants is used as wild types, for other crops are produced by classical mutagenesis ( changing the genetic material by irradiation or chemical addition ) or by genetic engineering methods in their gene facilities. These different genotypes, ie plants that differ in their genetic makeup, are compared with each other. In the methods of genetic engineering on the one hand, individual genes can be deliberately introduced into the genetic information of the cell nucleus of plants, on the other hand, the relatively young technique of plastid transformation is employed. Here, the new gene is not introduced into the DNA of the nucleus, but the plastids can be used as carriers of the new genes. Transformation and regeneration of so-called transplastomic plants is technically complex and the transformation efficiency is lower, this technique offers but, if you think of later applications, in terms of safety the advantage that a spread of transgenic plants in the field can take place almost since the plastids and the genetic material contained therein are not spread via pollen.
Both approaches are ultimately in the production of a unique gene - function relationship ( functional genomics ) open in order to understand the molecular, biochemical and physiological network of the plant (system biology ).
Research objects
Objects of study are primarily the thale cress ( Arabidopsis thaliana ), the potato, tobacco and tomato. In addition, but also serve rice, pumpkin, cucumber, zucchini, ryegrass, soybean and Japanese Fenugreek - each according to their suitability as a model system - to answer specific scientific questions.
Worldwide Arabidopsis thaliana is the model plant for plant scientists, similar to the white mouse from the medical community. The genome of this rather inconspicuous wild herb is decrypted and its generation time is short, so that each year, in contrast to plants such as tobacco and potato can be produced and studied several generations.
Research techniques
The range of studies at the Institute ranges from single cells, tissues and organs to plant agronomic studies in greenhouses and field trials. The range of methods includes techniques of molecular biology, genetics, physiology, biochemistry, biophysics and bioinformatics. Were at the Institute and will be developed and applied methods that are capable of automated and high throughput metabolite ( metabolomics ), proteins (proteomics ) and to measure enzyme activities, and methods that allow for the mass spectrometry based investigation of Proteinphosphrylierung. These methods are supported by efficient functional and comparative genomics research by introducing multi- parallel analysis approaches in the field of gene expression ( transcriptomics ) and through development and metabolic genetics. Indispensable is the use of bioinformatics, which is used to represent the existing knowledge and the experimental results newfound visually.
International Max Planck Research School ( IMPRS )
The Max Planck Institute for Molecular Plant Physiology operated jointly by the University of Potsdam, the International Max Planck Research School Primary Metabolism and Plant Growth. A IMPRS is an English doctoral program that enables a structured promotion. The IMPRS currently comprises around 80 PhD students.
Infrastructure
The heart of the institute provide the means for plant cultivation and plant transformation. A 12-member department, known as the Green Team, taking care of the arrival and breeding of different plants both in climate chambers and in the greenhouse and the outdoor areas, and as a service to the scientists in the house offers the Agrobacterium -mediated gene transfer. For the cultivation of the plants are 1.600m ² greenhouse space, 2,000 m² plastic greenhouse, 200 m² plant growth chambers and 8 ha field trial space.
Innovations
Metabolite profiling
As one of the outstanding achievements of the Institute, the development of the metabolite profiling is mentioned, which makes it possible to make visible through the application of well-established in the chemical mass spectroscopic methods, the oodles of occurring in plant constituents and to measure. From the work done in this context, the Institute pioneered the scientific field of metabolomics has emerged. Using this newly developed method can phytonutrients not only make visible, but they can be identified in the future also. Results from this research could win for the health classification of foods in importance.
Spin-off companies
The fact that basic research is innovative, show the two spin-off companies with more than 150 employees, which have emerged from the institute.
From the first phase of the work at the Institute, the focus was concerned with the elucidation of metabolic pathways and the identification and isolation of genes involved, the company PlantTec, now Bayer BioScienc GmbH emerged that deals with the starch metabolism in plants.
From the innovation area of the metabolite profiling the company metanomics has emerged that applies this process on a commercial scale.
Future prospects
Sound knowledge of metabolic processes in plants will tend to have an impact on the quality, nutrient composition and health of food, income, safety and industrial and pharmacological use of plants, on the other hand, this knowledge is but also with regard to changing environmental conditions is of enormous importance to be.
Whether a transfer of knowledge gained through basic research of metabolic pathways in plants in the near future will find their way into practical use in Germany or Europe, appears very doubtful at the moment.
Genetic Engineering
The laboratory and greenhouse areas are designed and reported according to Gene Technology Act as the S1 areas. S1 is the lowest level and means " no risk to humans, nature and the environment ." S1 laboratories are logged in Brandenburg at the Ministry of Agriculture, Environment and Spatial Planning, tested and approved if necessary. Ongoing operations ( Aufzeichnungsübverwachung, all provisions of law and the requirements) is monitored by the Environmental Agency. Genetically modified organisms are disposed of properly, that is, by chemicals or heat killed (autoclaving = steam pressure sterilization ) before disposal in the trash. This applies to all laboratory waste and " proliferative " plant parts such as seeds, tubers in the greenhouse area. The rest of the plant and soil material is attenuated ( steam sterilized ) and composted.
Contract prices
Since 2011, the Institute awards a named according to molecular biologists Jozef Schell Prize for Young Scientists, the " Jeff Schell Prize for Young Scientists ", which is endowed with 2500 Euros. The prize money has been provided by the company BASF.