Genetic analysis of root system architecture
Although hidden in the ground and therefore often neglected, roots are important plant organs: they serve as anchorage, take up water and nutrients and interact with microbes in the soil. The root systems of cereals are complex, consisting of different root types formed at different stages of development. In recent years we have identified and studied mutants affected in various aspects of root development.
The different root types of maize are highlighted in distinct colors. Different classes of maize root mutants are defective in one or several of these root types (Hochholdinger et al. 2018).
In recent years, we cloned and characterized several key genes that shape the complex root system architecture of maize.
Molecular Function and Context of Proteins Associated with Maize Root Development (Hochholdinger et al. 2018).
Reviewes from our group on the genetic analysis of cereal root formation
Publications on mutants and genes controlling root formation in maize and barley
The maize rtcs and rtcl genes:
Xu et al. (2015) PubMed
Majer et al. (2012) PubMed
Taramino et al. (2007) PubMed
Hetz W et al. (1996) Free article
Transcriptomic analyses of rtcs:
Tai et al. (2017) PubMed
Yu et al. (2015) PubMed
Muthreich et al. (2013) PubMed
Proteomic analyses of rtcs:
Muthreich et al. (2010) PubMed
Sauer et al. (2006) PubMed
The maize lrt1 gene:
Baer et al. (2023) PubMed
Husakova et al (2013) PubMed
Hochholdinger and Feix (1998) Free article
The maize rum1 and rul1 genes:
Zhang et al. (2016) PubMed
Zhang et al. (2014) PubMed
Von Behrens et al. (2011) PubMed
Woll et al. (2005) PubMed
Proteomic analysis of rum1:
Liu et al. (2010) PubMed
Liu et al. (2006) PubMed
The maize rth1 gene:
Wen et al. (2005) PubMed
The maize rth3 gene:
Hochholdinger et al. (2008) PubMed
The maize rth5 gene:
Nestler et al. (2014) PubMed
The maize rth6 gene:
Li et al. (2016) PubMed
The maize root hair proteome:
Nestler et al. (2011) PubMed
The maize root hair transcriptome:
Hey et al. (2017) PubMed
The root growth angle defines how roots grow toward the gravity vector and is among the most important determinants of root system architecture. It controls water uptake capacity, nutrient use efficiency, stress resilience, and, as a consequence, yield of crop plants. We cloned and characterized barley genes which control the root angle and display steeper roots upon mutation.
The egt2 gene of barley:
Guo et al. (2023) PubMed
Kirschner et al. (2021) PubMed
The egt1 gene of barley:
Fusi et al. (2022) PubMed
Contact
Prof. Dr. Frank Hochholdinger
Co-workers
Dr. Marcel Baer
