We are studying the genomes of the grass species wheat, barley and rice to analyze genome evolution in cereals. Plant genomes generally evolve much more rapidly than animal genomes and we want to understand  the underlying molecular mechanisms. These studies in evolutionary genomics have already given surprising results: for the genomic regions analyzed to date, we found complete restructuring of the intergenic regions within 1 to 3 million years, a much faster and dramatic evolution than previously assumed.

The wheat genome is very large (5x the size of the human genome) and complex. The knowledge on cereal genome structure is used in our group for the molecular isolation of agronomically important genes from wheat and barley. We have recently isolated the first two resistance genes against the fungal diseases leaf rust and powdery mildew of wheat. We are now studying their activity and the evolution of resistance at the molecular level. 

The different projects conducted in the research group strongly depend on the use of genomic technologies as well as advanced bioinformatics.

• Transcriptional profiling reveals no response of fungal pathogens to the durable, quantitative Lr34 disease resistance gene of wheat
  Sucher, J; Menardo, F; Praz, CR; Boni, R; Krattinger, SG; Keller, B
  PLANT PATHOLOGY, 67 (4):792-798; https://doi.org/10.1111/ppa.12797 MAY 2018
• Comparative Transcriptomics Reveals How Wheat Responds to Infection by Zymoseptoria tritici
  Authors: Ma, X; Keller, B; McDonald, BA; Palma-Guerrero, J; Wicker, T
  MOLECULAR PLANT-MICROBE INTERACTIONS, 31 (4):420-431; https://doi.org/10.1094/MPMI-10-17-0245-R APR 2018
• Pyramiding of transgenic Pm3 alleles in wheat results in improved powdery mildew resistance in the field
  Koller, Teresa; Brunner, Susanne; Herren, Gerhard; et al.
  THEORETICAL AND APPLIED GENETICS   Volume: 131   Issue: 4   Pages: 861-871, https://doi.org/10.1007/s00122-017-3043-9   Published: APR 2018
• Distinct domains of the AVRPM3(A2/F2) avirulence protein from wheat powdery mildew are involved in immune receptor recognition and putative effector function
  McNally, Kaitlin Elyse; Menardo, Fabrizio; Luthi, Linda; et al.
  NEW PHYTOLOGIST, 218(2):681-695, https://doi.org/10.1111/nph.15026   Published: APR 2018
• Non-parent of Origin Expression of Numerous Effector Genes Indicates a Role of Gene Regulation in Host Adaption of the Hybrid Triticale Powdery Mildew Pathogen 
  Author(s): Praz, Coraline R.; Menardo, Fabrizio; Robinson, Mark D.; et al. 
  Source: FRONTIERS IN PLANT SCIENCE, 9: JAN 30 2018 
  Document Type: Article (Details)
• Unlocking the diversity of genebanks: whole-genome marker analysis of Swiss bread wheat and spelt 
  Author(s): Mueller, Thomas; Schierscher-Viret, Beate; Fossati, Dario; et al. 
  Source: THEORETICAL AND APPLIED GENETICS, 131 (2): 407-416 FEB 2018 
  Document Type: Article (Details)

Research topics

• Fungal disease resistance in cereals
• Structure and evolution of plant genomes
• Molecular basis of agronomically important traits
• Root hair development

Interdisciplinary

• Evolutionary genomics
• Molecular Agronomy and Plant Breeding
• Plant Pathology