Molecular Plant Physiology

Nitrogen is one of the most limiting nutritional factors for plant growth and productivity. Therefore diverse and complex strategies have evolved for the uptake, assimilation and reallocation of nitrogen. Our research focuses on the role of plant transporters involved in the uptake as well as the intra- and intercellular distribution of organic nitrogen. We aim at exploring the biochemical properties of these transporters, their regulation and contribution to plant productivity and yield. 

Furthermore, amino acid transport in parasitic protozoa and its role for parasite development and pathogenicity is being investigated.

• Wheat amino acid transporters highly expressed in grain cells regulate amino acid accumulation in grain
  Wan, Yongfang; Wang, Yan; Shi, Zhiqiang; Rentsch, Doris; Ward, Jane L.; et al.
  Plos One,  10.1371/journal.pone.0246763, FEB 2021
• Multi-gene metabolic engineering of tomato plants results in increased fruit yield up to 23%
  Vallarino, Jose G.; Kubiszewski-Jakubiak, Szymon; Ruf, Stephanie; Roessner, Margit; Timm, Stefan; et al.
  Scientific Reports,10.1038/s41598-020-73709-6, OCT 14 2020
• Aluminum incorporation into magnesium silicate hydrate (M-S-H)
  Bernard, E.; Lothenbach, B.; Cau-Dit-Coumes, C.; Pochard, I.; Rentsch, D.
  Cement And Concrete Research 128, Article Number: 105931, DOI: 10.1016/j.cemconres.2019.105931, FEB 2020
• Stage-specific expression of the proline-alanine transporter in the human pathogen Leishmania
  Liburkin-Dan, T; Schlisselberg, D; Fischer-Weinberger, R; Pescher, P; Inbar, E; Ephros, M; Rentsch, D; Spath, GF; Zilberstein, D
  MOLECULAR AND BIOCHEMICAL PARASITOLOGY, 222 1-5; https://doi.org/10.1016/j.molbiopara.2018.04.002 JUN 2018
• Transporters of Trypanosoma bruceiphylogeny, physiology, pharmacology
  Schmidt, Remo S.; Macedo, Juan P.; Steinmann, Michael E.; et al.
  FEBS JOURNAL 285(6): 1012-1023  10.1111/febs.14302 MAR 2018
• Identification and characterization of the three members of the CLC family of anion transport proteins in Trypanosoma brucei 
  Steinmann, Michael E.; Schmidt, Remo S.; Macedo, Juan P.; et al. 
  PLOS ONE, 12 (12): 10.1371/journal.pone.0188219 DEC 15 2017
• A Critical Role of AMT2;1 in Root-To-Shoot Translocation of Ammonium in Arabidopsis
  Giehl, Ricardo F. H.; Laginha, Alberto M.; Duan, Fengying; et al. 
  MOLECULAR PLANT, 10 (11): 1449-1460 https://doi.org/10.1016/j.molp.2017.10.001 NOV 6 2017
• Ornithine uptake and the modulation of drug sensitivity in Trypanosoma brucei 
  Macedo, Juan P.; Currier, Rachel B.; Wirdnam, Corina; et al. 
  FASEB JOURNAL, 31 (10): 4649-4660 OCT 2017 10.1096/fj.201700311R
• Arginine and Lysine Transporters Are Essential for Trypanosoma brucei 
  Mathieu, Christoph; Macedo, Juan P.; Huerlimann, Daniel; et al. 
  PLOS ONE, 12 (1): JAN 3 2017
• …

• Amino acid and peptide transport
• Uptake and allocation of organic nitrogen
• Stress physiology

• Vacuolar transport processes
• Amino acid transport in parasitic protozoa