Plant Developmental Genetics

Our research centers on the genetic and epigenetic control of plant reproduction. We are interested in both sexual reproduction and apomixis, a form of asexual reproduction through seeds. We use Arabidopsis thaliana and Zea may sas model systems, but also work with several other plant species.

Our studies have shown that both genetic and epigenetic mechanisms play a key role in plant reproduction. The long term goal of our research is to elucidate the role of positional information, cell-cell communication and epigenetic regulation of gene expression in plant morphogenesis and cellular differentiation. Furthermore we are investigating the role of epigenetic mechanisms in development, ecology, and evolution. Towards these goals we use a broad range of integrated, interdisciplinary approaches combining classical genetics, systems biology, ecology, chemistry and mathematics, and we collaborate both scientifically and technically with a number of institutions in Switzerland, as well as abroad. Our research is funded by a number of sources, notably the European Union, the Swiss National Science Foundation, SystemsX.ch, the Zürich-Basel Plant Science Center, and University Research Priority Program Systems Biology/Functional Genomics.

• Mechanical factors contributing to the Venus flytrap's rate-dependent response to stimuli (Aug, 10.1007/s10237-021-01507-8, 2021)
  Saikia, Eashan; Laubli, Nino F.; Vogler, Hannes; Ruggeberg, Markus; Herrmann, Hans J.; et al.
  Biomechanics And Modeling In Mechanobiology 10.1007/s10237-021-01522-9  DEC 2021
• Mechanical factors contributing to the Venus flytrap's rate-dependent response to stimuli
  Saikia, Eashan; Laeubli, Nino F.; Vogler, Hannes; Rueggeberg, Markus; Herrmann, Hans J.; et al.
  Biomechanics And Modeling In Mechanobiology 10.1007/s10237-021-01507-8  DEC 2021
• Sexual and Apogamous Species of Woodferns Show Different Protein and Phytohormone Profiles
  Fernandez, Helena; Grossmann, Jonas; Gagliardini, Valeria; Feito, Isabel; Rivera, Alejandro; et al.
  Frontiers In Plant Science 10.3389/fpls.2021.718932  NOV 12 2021
• Apomixis and genetic background affect distinct traits in Hieracium pilosella L. grown under competition
  Sailer, Christian; Tiberi, Simone; Schmid, Bernhard; Stoecklin, Juerg; Grossniklaus, Ueli
  Bmc Biology 10.1186/s12915-021-01117-x  AUG 28 2021
• Endosperm and Seed Transcriptomes Reveal Possible Roles for Small RNA Pathways in Wild Tomato Hybrid Seed Failure
  Florez-Rueda, Ana Marcela; Fiscalini, Flurin; Roth, Morgane; Grossniklaus, Ueli; Staedler, Thomas
  Genome Biology And Evolution 10.1093/gbe/evab107  AUG 2021
• The Polycomb group protein MEDEA controls cell proliferation and embryonic patterning in Arabidopsis
  Simonini, Sara; Bemer, Marian; Bencivenga, Stefano; Gagliardini, Valeria; Pires, Nuno D.; et al.
  Developmental Cell 10.1016/j.devcel.2021.06.004  JUL 12 2021
• 3D mechanical characterization of single cells and small organisms using acoustic manipulation and force microscopy
  Laubli, Nino F.; Burri, Jan T.; Marquard, Julian; Vogler, Hannes; Mosca, Gabriella; et al.
  Nature Communications 10.1038/s41467-021-22718-8  MAY 10 2021
• Organ geometry channels reproductive cell fate in the Arabidopsis ovule primordium
  Hernandez-Lagana, Elvira; Mosca, Gabriella; Mendocilla-Sato, Ethel; Pires, Nuno; Frey, Anja; et al.
  Elife 10.7554/eLife.66031  MAY 7 2021
• Simultaneous measurement of turgor pressure and cell wall elasticity in growing pollen tubes
  Vogler, Hannes; Burri, Jan T.; Nelson, Bradley J.; Grossniklaus, Ueli
  Plant Cell Biology,   10.1016/bs.mcb.2020.04.002  2020
• Kinematics Governing Mechanotransduction in the Sensory Hair of the Venus flytrap
  Saikia, Eashan; Laubli, Nino F.; Burri, Jan T.; Ruggeberg, Markus; Schleputz, Christian M.; et al.
  International Journal Of Molecular Sciences,  10.3390/ijms22010280 JAN 2021
• Adaptive reduction of male gamete number in the selfing plant Arabidopsis thaliana
  Tsuchimatsu, T; Kakui, H; Yamazaki, M; Marona, C; Tsutsui, H; Hedhly, A; Meng, D; Sato, Y; Stadler, T;Grossniklaus, U; Kanaoka, MM; Lenhard, M; Nordborg, M; Shimizu, KK
  Nature Communications  8 June 2020., 10.1038/s41467-020-16679-7
• Dynamics of apomictic and sexual reproduction during primary succession on a glacier forefield in the Swiss Alps
  Sailer, Christian; Stocklin, Jurg; Grossniklaus, Ueli
  Scientific Reports 10.1038/s41598-020-64367-9  MAY 19 2020
• Cell type-specific genome scans of DNA methylation divergence indicate an important role for transposable elements
  Kartal O; Schmid MW; Grossniklaus U
  Genome Biology 2020 10.1186/s13059-020-02068-2
• A single touch can provide sufficient mechanical stimulation to trigger Venus flytrap closure
  Burri, Jan T.; Saikia, Eashan; Laeubli, Nino F.; Vogler, Hannes; Wittel, Falk K.; et al.
  Plos Biology 2020, 10.1371/journal.pbio.3000740
• Adaptive reduction of male gamete number in the selfing plant Arabidopsis thaliana
  Tsuchimatsu, T; Kakui, H; Yamazaki, M; Marona, C; Tsutsui, H; Hedhly, A; Meng, D; Sato, Y; Stadler, T;Grossniklaus, U; Kanaoka, MM; Lenhard, M; Nordborg, M; Shimizu, KK
  Nature Communications  8 June 2020., 10.1038/s41467-020-16679-7
• Acute heat stress during stamen development affects both the germline and sporophytic lineages in Arabidopsis thaliana (L.) Heynh.
  Hedhly, Afif; Nestorova, Anna; Herrmann, Anja; Grossniklaus, Ueli
  Environmental And Experimental Botany 10.1016/j.envexpbot.2020.103992 Published: MAY 2020
• A pseudomolecule-scale genome assembly of the liverwort Marchantia polymorpha
  Diop, Seydina I.; Subotic, Oliver; Giraldo-Fonseca, Alejandro; Waller, Manuel; Kirbis, Alexander; et al.
  Plant Journal  DOI: 10.1111/tpj.14602  Published: MAR 2020
• Structural basis for recognition of RALF peptides by LRX proteins during pollen tube growth
  Moussu, Steven; Broyart, Caroline; Santos-Fernandez, Gorka; Augustin, Sebastian; Wehrle, Sarah; Grossniklaus, Ueli; Santiago, Julia
  Proceedings Of The National Academy Of Sciences Of The United States Of America  DOI: 10.1073/pnas.2000100117  Published: MAR 31 2020
• Differential gene expression profiling of one- and two-dimensional apogamous gametophytes of the fern Dryopteris affinis ssp. affinis
  Wyder, Stefan; Rivera, Alejandro; Valdes, Ana E.; Jesus Canal, Maria; Gagliardini, Valeria; Fernandez, Helena; Grossniklaus, Ueli
  Plant Physiology And Biochemistry  148: 302-311 DOI: 10.1016/j.plaphy.2020.01.021 MAR 2020
• To preserve or to destroy, that is the question: the role of the cell wall integrity pathway in pollen tube growth
  Vogler, Hannes; Santos-Fernandez, Gorka; Mecchia, Martin A.; Grossniklaus, Ueli
  Current Opinion In Plant Biology,  DOI: 10.1016/j.pbi.2019.09.002   2019
• …

• Genetic and molecular mechanisms controlling female gametophyte development and function, focusing on cell specification and fertilization
• Investigation of the molecular basis of parental effects and genomic imprinting in plants
• Genetics and epigenetics of adaptation in a changing environment
• Identification of apomictic traits in maize using genetic approaches
• Systems biology of reproductive tissues of Arabidopsis thaliana

• Joint projects with mathematicians and computational scientists: B. Hellriegel (Verlag Birkhäuser, Basel), R. Smith (UniBe), T. Wicker (UZH), C. von Mering (UZH)
• Joint projects with ecologists: J. Stöcklin (UniBas), B. Schmid (UZH), L. Turnbull (UZH)  
• Joint projects with engineers and chemists: B. Nelson (ETHZ), N. Luedtke (UZH)