Plant Development

The plant phloem is part of the vascular tissue and consists of several highly specialized cell types. Within phloem cells, carbohydrates are being transported from sites of photosynthesis (mainly leaves) to tissues that are dependent on carbohydrate import (roots, seeds, developing organs). In every newly forming organ new phloem cells have to develop and to be connected to the already existing phloem network within a plant.

In spite of its important function in carbohydrate allocation, relatively little is known about the factors that control phloem development. We will contribute to a better understanding of phloem development and function using two complementary approaches: First, we are developing and using state of the art microscopic techniques to obtain a better characterization of phloem cell development. Second, we are currently studying the regulation and function of some genetic factors that are essential for proper phloem development.

• Phloem development
• Plant anatomy
• Plant growth
• Solute allocation

► Google Scholar: https://scholar.google.ch/citations?hl=de&user=7l6YL0cAAAAJ

• Sieve elements and their cell neighbours in the Arabidopsis root–Roles and relationships
  E Truernit
  Journal of Plant Physiology 268, 153569, 2022
• Distinct plastid fructose bisphosphate aldolases function in photosynthetic and non-photosynthetic metabolism in Arabidopsis
  Carrera, Daniel Arpad; George, Gavin M.; Fischer-Stettler, Michaela; Galbier, Florian; Eicke, Simona; et al.
  Journal Of Experimental Botany 10.1093/jxb/erab099  MAY 4 2021
• A Reservoir of Pluripotent Phloem Cells Safeguards the Linear Developmental Trajectory of Protophloem Sieve Elements
  Gujas, Bojan; Kastanaki, Elizabeth; Sturchler, Alessandra; Cruz, Tiago M. D.; Ruiz-Sola, M. Aguila; Dreos, Rene; Eike, Simona; Truernit, Elisabeth; Rodriguez-Villalon, Antia
  Current Biology 30 (5): 755-+ DOI: 10.1016/j.cub.2019.12.043  2020
• Methods of phloem visualization: a clear future in sight?
  E Truernit
  Phloem: Methods and Protocols, 73-79, 2019
• Accelerated ex situ breeding of GBSS- and PTST1-edited cassava for modified starch
  Simon E. Bull, David Seung, Christelle Chanez, Devang Mehta, Joel‑Elias Kuon, Elisabeth Truernit, Anton Hochmuth, Irene Zurkirchen, Samuel C. Zeeman, Wilhelm Gruissem and Hervé Vanderschuren
  Science Advances, 4 (9): 10.1126/sciadv.aat6086, Washington, DC: AAAS,  2018.  
• OCTOPUS-LIKE 2, a novel player in Arabidopsis root and vascular development, reveals a key role for OCTOPUS family genes in root metaphloem sieve tube differentiation 
  Sola, M. Aguila Ruiz; Coiro, Mario; Crivelli, Simona; et al. 
  NEW PHYTOLOGIST, 216 (4): 1191-1204,  10.1111/nph.14751   2017
• Amino Acid Export in Developing Arabidopsis Seeds Depends on UmamiT Facilitators
  Mueller, Benedikt; Fastner, Astrid; Karmann, Julia; et al.
  CURRENT BIOLOGY 25(23): 3126-3131 10.1016/j.cub.2015.10.038  2015

• Microscopy
• Cell biology