Department of Plant Sciences 

Gad Galili, Head

Plants offer the world its only renewable resource of foods, building material and energy. Plants have highly sophisticated short and long-term adaptive mechanisms to the environment as a result of the simple fact that they cannot alter their location during environmental change. Basic understanding of how plants react to the environment and why they grow the way they do are central to devising a rational approach to secure more food, and food of better quality. Research activities in the Department range from studies on the function and regulation of isolated genes to their interactive behavior in the context of the whole plant. We have developed extensive in-house genomic, bioinformatic and transgenic infrastructure that enables us to isolate novel genes by gene trapping, knockout or map-based cloning. Cloned genes are manipulated and studied by transgenic analysis to establish their potential in the whole plant. Our research as listed below integrates methodologies of molecular biology, protein modeling, genetics, biochemistry, and physiology.

Harnessing light energy and energy transduction in the plant cell. Research is carried out on the basic biophysical phenomenon of photon absorption by chlorophyll through transduction of this energy to ATP and the regulation of energy flux by the plant redox state.

Adaptive response in the plant to the biotic and abiotic environment. Molecular mechanisms that drive the cellular response are investigated under environmental perturbation. Research is directed in understanding the elements that play a role in the recognition of pathogens and the subsequent mounting of plant defense responses.

Plant metabolism and growth. Research is centered around elucidating the pathways for essential amino acids production regulation and storage in the seed and understanding what controls cycles of differentiation and dedifferentiation in plant cells.

Plant genome organization. Molecular tools have been developed to examine the fluidity of the plant genome as described by transposon elements and the concerted evolution of gene families and plant genomes.

A. Danon

Mode of action of redox-signal transduction factors.

Pathway of redox-signaling responsible for light- regulated translation.

RNA-binding proteins controling light-regulated translation.

M. Edelman

Modeling ligand-protein interactions.

Consensus structures for ATP binding sites.

Computer tools for analyzing molecular structures.

Tentoxin: structural mechanism of action.

Genetic engineering of aquatic plants.

National Center for Bioinformatic-Genetic Infrastructure.

R. Fluhr

Role of reactive oxygen species in pathogen defense and signal transduction.
R. Fluhr, Cher Ashtamker and Moshe Sagi

Application of microarray technology to problems in plant growth and environmental response.
R. Fluhr, O. Davydov

Plant resistance genes and their role as receptor-like proteins for pathogen generated factors. Their role in innate resistance, their architecture, structure-function relationships and evolution.
R. Fluhr, Ofra Hadrian and Yehudit Zohar

Dynamics of alternative splicing during stress and development
R. Fluhr, Hadas Ner-Gaon

G. Galili

Regulatory networks of amino acids metabolism in plants
G. Galili, Aviah Zilberstein; Rachel Amir; Rainer Hoefgen; Dani Zamir

1.  Regulation of expression and functional role of lysine catabolism

2.  Metabolic engineering of high-lysine plants

3.  Dissection of amino acid metabolism in plants by genomics and bioformatics approaches

4.  Genetic and genomic approaches to ellucidate metabolic networks in fruits

Cellular and physiological roles of aquaporins in plants
G. Galili, Yoram Kapulnik

Cell biology of plant development and source/sink interactions
G. Galili, Zvulun Elazar

G. Grafi

How cells dedifferentiate: the chromatin viewpoint

1.  Reorganization of specific chromosomal domains (e.g., cromocenters; nucleolus)

2.  Activation of silent genes (e.g., pluripotent genes such as No Apical Meristem genes))

3.  Molecular mechanisms underlying chromatin remodeling during dedifferentiation [DNA methylation; Methyl-CpG-binding domain (MBD) proteins; Histone modifications])

4.  Reverse genetics approach for identifying genes involved in dedifferentiation

J. Gressel

Tandem constructs to mitigate gene flow from transgenic crops to weeds
J. Gressel, Hani Al-Ahmad

Developing slow release herbicide formulations as seed dressings for Striga control in Africa
J. Gressel, Fred Kanampiu, Michael Burnet

Transgenically enhancing the virulence of fungi used as biocontrol agents
J. Gressel, Ziva Amsellem, Einat Safran

1.  Designing and use of failsafe mechanisms to prevent spread and introgression

2.  Enhancing of virulence of Fusarium spp against Orobanche

3.  Enhancing Colletotrichum against Abutilon

4.  Enhancing Alternaria cassae against Cassia obtusifolia

Analysis of risk of transgene introgression from wheat to related species.
J. Gressel, Sarit Weissman, Prof. Moshe Feldman

A. Levy

Functional genomics in tomato: linking between genes and functions through mutants analysis.

Genetic changes during wheat domestication
A. Levy, M. Feldman, S. Weiner

The impact of polyploidy on genome structure and expression
A. Levy, M. Feldman

DNA recombination and repair in plants:

1.  DNA mismatch repair and recombination between divergent sequences

2.  Chromatin remodelling and homologous recombination

A. Scherz

Quantification of atoms, groups and molecules electronegati using metal substituted bacteriochlorophylls and application to chemical reactivity.

Resolving the forces which drive membrane protein assembly.

The mechenism behind generation of reactive oxygen species (ROS) by illuminating novel bacteriochlorophyll derivatives and their application in photodynamic therapy (PDT) of tumors.