Dr. Joachim Forner

Current Research

Within the context of research on transcriptional networks underlying plant stem cell control, our lab has previously identified a new binding motif of the stem cell regulator WUSCHEL.

I’m now examining whether the presence of this motif in the promoters of the putative

target genes is indeed relevant in planta. Therefore, I’m checking if modifications of the motif change the respective expression patterns and the responsiveness to WUSCHEL. This is done mainly by using fluorescent reporters, both in stably transformed Arabidopsis thaliana plants and by transient expression in Nicotiana benthamiana.

Further Projects:

As a second major project, I’m also trying to establish a general gene targeting procedure for Arabidopsis thaliana.

Confocal image of a plant expressing yellow fluorescent protein (YFP) driven by parts of the CLAVATA1 promoter. Instead of being active only in the center of the meristems, the truncated version of this promoter shows reduced specificity. The reporter gene is expressed rather ubiquitously. Due to an attached nuclear localization signal, the YFP fluorescence is restricted to the nuclei of the cells.