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Fruit Tree Sciences
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| Fertilization and fruit setting of date palms –physiological, molecular mechanisms and environmental effects |
Reproduction biology in date palms is a complex process. Female flower has three separate carpels. Only a single carpel develops into a fruit, while the others degenerate. The current project aims to characterize the developmental processes and molecular mechanisms involved in date fertilization and fruit setting as well as carpel degeneration. We will also follow the effects of different temperature regimes on these processes. The project will combine field trails of controlled pollination, various microscopic analyses and molecular biology techniques.
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| Phenotypic and genetic characterization of fruit quality traits (peel color and fibrousness) in mango. |
Mango breeding requires better understanding of the heredity of fruit quality traits. Color and fibrousness are two major traits important. Currently there are no markers associated with these two traits, to enable their identification at the seedling stage. While there is some knowledge on processes determining fruit peel coloration, very little is known on the formation of fibers in the mango pulp. We will combine microscopic analysis, molecular biology techniques and biochemistry to characterize the two traits. We will perform genetic analyses, screening defined mango populations and germline collections to characterize the inheritance of the traits and to identify specific markers associated with them.
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| Improving the pomegranate genome assembly and annotation. |
Pomegranate is an important crop due to its medicinal qualities. The fruit is enriched in anti-oxidant such as anthocyanin and punicalagin. Many studies reported its contribution to preventing cancer diseases. Our lab constructed a genomic infrastructure as part of the pomegranate breeding program. We developed whole-genome transcriptome, genetic markers repertoire, and a reference genome. The reference genome was assembled using the cutting edge technologies to final pseudo-chromosomes. Yet nothing is perfect. An extending, polishing and further annotation are required to take the most of that reference genome. Moreover, a comparison with other closely phylogenetic-related crops would be helpful.
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| OR ETTI |
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Team:Etti Or, Tamar Basha, Eran Maba, Roi Havoosha |
| Integration of low energy stimuli with homon-mediated regulation of growth: retrieving the core regulators that trigger transition of the grapevine bud from dormancy to growth |
our study suggests that stimuli of dormancy release lead to respiratory stress. This stress lead to growth repression removal by decreasing ABA availability, accompanied by increased Ethylene biosynthesis and macromolecules catabolism. Such catabolic step may serve as the switch for sugar-regulated changes in the behavior of the SNRK-TOR regulon, a central regulon in plant homeostasis. This innovative model will be tested using omics, transgenic and standard nucleic acid and proteins analyses. The innovation level is high and has the potential to publication in high profile journals
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| Role of light-induced proteins during plastid development |
Light-induced proteins, including the light harvesting antenna (LHCs) and other members of the extended LHC family, play important roles in plastid development and in the response and adaptation to light conditions. In this project, we utilize various techniques, including mutant analysis, spectroscopy, proteomic profiling and electron microscopy, in order to study the roles of light-induced proteins at different stages of plastid differentiation in tomato.
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| CAS 9 as a tool for genome engineering |
We are interested in using CAS9 system as tool for changes on the chromosome level such as recombination rates, chromosome ploidy and others. Another subject in the lab is CAS9 free gene editing mutants based on positive and negative selections. The biological system are tomato and Arabidopsis.
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Natural Resources
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| The main questions we ask in our lab are: - How do various tree species cope with drought? - Do natural occurring hybrids have an advantage over their parents under drought conditions? - Do different pine species respond differently to insect attack un |
Our goal is to identify parameters for use in selecting adaptive genotypes for future reforestation under observed and projected climate change. In order to achieve this goal, we look for molecular markers via RNA-seq and perform functional analyses. We are also developing in vitro vegetative propagation protocols in order to improve tree performance for relevant species.
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| Acoustic signal processing in cattle to detect and analyze behavioral patterns |
The research project aims to advance all aspects of a sensor technology to derive the behavioral timeline of an animal that is relatively cheap, easy to deploy and accurate. A vibrational/acoustic signal is acquired in a way that enables all jaw activity and even breathing to be detected. The challenge is currently in the acoustic signal processing, which would need to contend with signals from grazing and housed cattle, detect and classify types of sounds, detect patterns of sounds (rumination versus eating), analyze behavioral patterns at different time scales, and correlate changes in these patterns to production, health and welfare indices.
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Ornamental Plants and Agricultural Biotechnology
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| Achieving transformation, regeneration, and gene editing in recalcitrant crop plants |
We have previously developed tissue culture protocols for several crop plants. In this project, the candidate will develop methods to transform and achieve gene editing in these crops. To this end, the candidate will characterize the regeneration process occurring in these crops at the tissue level. Next, the candidate will develop a transformation protocol for these plants and ultimately, all gene editing elements will be transferred into the target genomes to achieve gene knockout.
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| The role of plant actin and myosin in membrane trafficking and cell division |
The acto-myosin XI system is known to propel the cytoplasmic streaming in plant cells. By regulating this fast movement, the acto-myosin system is indirectly facilitating the polar distribution of transporters to one side of plant cells. Recently we have found that this influences auxin accumulation and root development. In addition, myosins were shown to be involved in cell division. In a recent comprehensive Y2H screen we have found several new interactors of myosins from class XI. The characterization of some of these interactors is the subject proposed for a post doc in the lab.
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| SHAMIR MICHAL |
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Team:The research will be conducted under my supervision |
| Phenylpropanoid metabolism in plants |
The research in our lab is focused on phenylpropanoid metabolism in plants. We are interested in several metabolic pathways originating from phenylalanine and the cross talk between these pathways. One of the topics of interest is the process by which anthocyanins are metabolized in plants, including their active degradation. Additional related topics are the production of fragrant benzenoids from phenylalanine as well as production of antimicrobial compounds causing increased plant resistance to pathogens.
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| Regulation of fleshy fruit development by microRNAs |
MicroRNAs (miRNAs) are endogenous non-coding RNAs that negatively modulate the expression of genes by inhibiting translation or by promoting the degradation of target mRNAs, many of which encode transcription factors. Recent studies have indicated that miRNAs are master regulators of numerous developmental processes. However, although abundant in developing and ripening fleshy fruit their regulatory functions in these processes are still poorly understood. The goal of this research project is to identify novel fruit miRNAs and elucidate their functions using tomato as a model crop plant and state of the art molecular biology techniques including CRISPR/Cas9 genome editing.
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Vegetable and Field Crops
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| 1. Implying genomic selection and rapid cycling in spring wheat breeding under Mediterranean conditions. 2. Breeding early flowering high grain quality Spelt wheat to the Mediterranean growing environment. |
1. We will apply genomic selection (GS) and rapid cycling and will test whether these innovative methodologies can improve yield gains in wheat breeding compared to conventional breeding. Specifically we would will try to select the best genomic selection model to select the best parental lines for crossing. Then by rapid cycling and field evaluation, we will test our hypothesis. 2. 3. This is an ongoing project in our lab where by applying marker assisted selection and speed breeding we try to modify Spelt phenology so it will be better adapted to growing condition is Israel. As Spelt wheat is consider premium bread product, our work also involves grain quality aspects.
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| HAREL ARIYE |
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Team:Arye Harel, Debashish Bhattacharya (Rutgers, NJ, USA), Hollie Putna (University of Rhode Island, USA) |
| Utilizing computational analysis to decipher the coral-microbiome interaction under abiotic stress |
Suggested work is part of an international effort to reduce the negative effect of global warming on coral colonies. Comutational analysis of transcriptome/methylome/microbiome in the course of climate-change-like pH and thermal stress.
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| molecular control of metabolic pathways in cucurbits |
The project involves metabolic engineering of terpenoid metabolism and carbohydrate metabolism in cucurbit fruit.
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| KLEIMAN MAYA |
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Team:My group. See: http://mayakl2.wixsite.com/kleimanlab |
| The effect of 3D scaffold microstructure on plant regeneration and development |
3D scaffolds have been used in tissue engineering and tissue regeneration of mammalian cells revolutionizing the field of mammalian cell cultures. However, those tools were almost never used in plant tissue culture. We are aiming at studying how a 3D scaffold, specifically the microstructure of such a scaffold can influence the process of plant regeneration which remain a bottle neck in plant breeding. Additionally, we are studying how these scaffolds affect the developmental process of plant cells and tissues.
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| Investigation of the genetic components regulating the shelf life of the Solanum Lycopersicum fruits |
The current project is focusing on the investigation of the novel tomato mutant in which the fruit pericarp development is delayed during ripening and shelf storage, whereas the development of other fruit tissues seems to be unaffected. In this project, we look to focus on detailed characterization of the histological and anatomical features of the mutant fruits. In addition, we plan to use this mutant to pinpoint genetic factors and molecular networks controlling pericarp development and maturation.
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| EYAL FRIDMAN |
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Team:Karl Schmid (Hohenheim), Stephan Greiner (Max Plank, Golm) |
| Naturally evolved cytoplasm and nuclear variations (cytonuclear diversity) effects on circadian clock plasticity and whole plant development |
One of the great challenges in evolutionary biology and modern breeding is to identify and utilize real causal genetic variations that participate in the relationship between genetic and phenotypic variation. This is the basis for breeding better adapted crops to current and future scenarios of climate change. It is necessary to understand the intra-plant (sink and source) and intra-genomes (nuclear and organelle) relationship for optimizing stress responses and import beneficial gene alleles for basic and applied investigations. In the group we study the genetics underlying phenotypic plasticity in the Barley1K collection and derived inter-specific population as a model system. The research focus on circadian rhythms and whole plant responses to heat. System genetics is integrated with genome editing to zoom-in on specific loci that make the difference in dynamics of responses to abiotic stress throughout development. This brings novel insight into the role of organelle diversity and circadian clock plasticity (Bdolach et al., PCE 2019), and suggests that major genes facilitate plasticity at certain developmental stages to confer robustness later in reproductive output. The position is specified as follows: 1)Physiological and molecular characterization of candidate regulatory loci involved in circadian clock plasticity under heat in the model Hordeum spontaneum. Identifying the mechanism underlying sensing of external heat stimuli with a developmental output 2) Development and analysis of a new multi-parental barley population including the circadian clock responses and yield traits in the field. For specific questions concerning the respective projects please contact: fridmane@agri.gov.il, and include a curriculum vitae, list of publications, a statement of research interests by September 12, 2019.
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| Updated on: 08/08/19 10:13 |
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