Project Details
Program
BioScience
Field of Study
Microbiology, Genomics, Plant biology, Bioinformatics
Division
Biological and Environmental Sciences and Engineering
Faculty Lab Link
Center Affiliation
Center for Desert Agriculture
Project Description
Abiotic stresses are the most important factors for hampering plant growth and yield world-wide. However, beneficial microbes can help plants to enhance stress tolerance of plants. DARWIN 21 is a large scale project to isolate and study the interaction how rhizophere microbes contribute to enhance the capacity of plants under the most difficult abiotic stress conditions (http://www.darwin21.net/index.htm).In this project, the student will characterize several rhizosphere microbes and investigate whether they can confer plant resistance to different abiotic stresses. The student will learn how to apply techniques in microbiology, molecular biology and plant biology.
About the Researcher
Heribert Hirt
Professor, Plant Science
Affiliations
Education Profile
- 1989-1990 Post-doctoral fellow, Institute of Microbiology & Genetics, University of Vienna
- 1988 Post-doctoral fellow, Deptartment of Microbiology, Oxford University
- 1987 Post-doctoral fellow, Institute of Biochemistry, University of Vienna
- 1984-1987 Ph.D. Biochemistry, University of Vienna
- 1979-1983 M.Sc. Biochemistry, University of Vienna
- 1976-1978 B.Sc. Biochemistry, University of Cape Town
Research Interests
a€‹Professor Hirt's research interests are in signal transduction and the molecular communication mechanisms between microorganisms and plants.Selected Publications
- Identification of an ABA-independent oxylipin pathway that controls stomatal closure and immune defense in Arabidopsis, Montillet JL, Leonhardt N, Mondy S, Tranchimand S, Boudsocq M, Garcia AV, Douki T, Bigeard J, LauriA¨re C, Chevalier A, Castresana C, Rumeau D, Hirt H, PLoS Biology, 2013, 11(3):e1001513.
- Linking the proteins a- elucidation of proteome-scale networks using mass spectrometry, Pflieger D, Gonnet F, van Bentem S Hirt, H, de la Fuente A, Mass Spectr. Rev., 2011, 30:268-97.
- New insights into an old story: Agrobacterium-induced tumour formation in plants by plant transformation, Pitzschke A, Hirt H., EMBO J., 2010, 29:1021-32.
- VIP1 response elements mediate mitogen-activated protein kinase 3-induced stress gene expression, Pitzschke, A., Djamei, A., Teige, M., Hirt, H., Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci., 2009, USA, 106:18414-9.
- Trojan horse strategy in Agrobacterium transformation by abusing MAPK defence signalling, Djamei, A., Pitzschke, A., Nakagami, H., Rajh, I., and Hirt, H., Science, 2007, 318, 453-456.
Desired Project Deliverables
Isolation and characterization of bacterial strains. Analysis of beneficial microbes on plant physiology. Sequencing and bioinformatics to analyze microbial genomes, transcriptome and proteome analysis of beneficial microbes and plants.
We are shaping the
World of Research
Be part of the journey with VSRP
3-6 months
Internship period
100+
Research Projects
3.5/4
Cumulative GPA
310
Interns a Year