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About Institutes Public Relations Technology Transfer Students\International Information Center (Library) Administration
שלח באימייל הדפס
 
Name: Amnon Lers, Ph.D. (Researcher)
Units: Postharvest and Food SciencesDepartment of Postharvest Science
Research Interests / Job description  
Tel:  03-9683608 03-9683602
Cell: 050-6220602
Fax:03-9683622
Email:    alers@volcani.agri.gov.il
Office location:Office: 223; Laboratories: 222, 207. Department of Postharvest Science of Fresh Produce, The Volcani Center
Address:Dept. of Postharvest Science of Fresh Produce
The Volcani Center, ARO
HaMaccabim Road 68 , P.O.B 15159
Rishon LeZion 7528809, Israel
Email: alers@volcani.agri.gov.il

Research Scientist

Research Interests / Job description
Plant senescence and programmed cell death:
function and regulation of associated nucleases and ribonucleases.

Study of the molecular genetic regulation of dark-induced senescence and the mode of action of CO2 in delaying artificial senescence in leafy vegetables.

Investigating the biological basis for chilling injury sensitivity/resistance in leafy vegetables.

  

Background

 Worldwide, postharvest losses have been estimated to be as high as 24% in developed countries and even 50% in developing tropical countries. The susceptibility of fresh harvested produce to postharvest deterioration increases during extended storage, as a result of physiological and pathological changes occurring during storage and marketing. Losses caused by postharvest spoilage of fruits and vegetables have been controlled so far primarily by applying chemicals, which due to health and environmental hazards are steadily being banned from use. Alternatives should be developed and the use of biotechnology to develop new varieties with improved postharvest qualities has the potential to have large future impact in postharvest applied science. Identification and selection of key genes involved in postharvest-relevant responses of plants is a fundamental step in the development of biotechnology approach. Beside the use of identified genes in biotechnology-mediated improvement of agricultural important crop plants, these genes could be used in marker-assisted selection of improved varieties via classical genetic programs.

Major fields of research

We are investigating different biological aspects of postharvest utilizing molecular, biochemical and physiological research tools. The results of these studies should improve our understanding of the biological processes involved and mode of action of treatments known to improve postharvest quality. Furthermore, such research should form the basis needed to enable us to use biotechnology for the development of new varieties which will have improved postharvest qualities.
We are focusing on few main fields of research. In leaf senescence research we identify and characterize enzymes related to the process of macromolecules catabolism which is highly induced in advanced stage of senescence. We are mainly investigating the function of senescence-associated nucleases and ribonucleases and the molecular mechanism which governs the senescence-specific expression of their encoding genes. Study of tomato and Arabidopsis mutant plants in which expression of the ribonucleases/nuclease genes was altered should contribute to our understanding of function of the encoded enzymes in senescence or other developmental/stress-related processes. The molecular mechanism underlying senescence-specific gene expression is investigated by detailed analysis of promoter sequences, interacting protein factors and mutations affecting this senescence-specific regulation.
Chilling sensitivity, in some fruits and vegetables, is a major limitation in the use of low temperature for fresh produce storage, especially in tropical or sub-tropical crops. Chilling injury is manifested in differently in different plants such as membrane collapse and superficial browning in basil leaves or texture changes such as wooliness in some peach varieties. The physiological, biochemical and molecular basis for the acquirement of resistance toward chilling by different postharvest treatments or due to genetic variation is investigated mainly in basil leaves and peach fruits.
Senescence of harvested leafy vegetables is accelerated in many cases due to their storage in the dark. Using Arabidopsis plant as a model system we carry out a research aimed for identifying genes which have a role in dark-induced senescence. Elevated concentration of CO2, in the range of 5-10%, is known to be main factor in the delay of postharvest leaf senescence which plays a major role in modified atmosphere packaging of fresh produce. Although its effect is very significant in some commodities the mode of action by which CO2 exerts its senescence retarding activity is not clear. Research is preformed to get an insight into the mode of action of CO2 in delaying leaf senescence and improving postharvest quality of leafy vegetables.

 Selected Publications

  • Lers, A., Khalchitski, A., Lomaniec, E., Burd, S. and Green, P. J. (1998) Senescence-induced RNases in tomato. Plant Mol. Biol. 36:  439-449.
    ABSTRACT

    Pérez-Amador, M. A., Abler, M. L., De Rocher, E. J, Thompson, D. M., van Hoof, A., LeBrasseur, N., Lers, A. and  Green, P. J. (1999) Identification of BFN1, a bifunctional nuclease induced during leaf and stem senescence in Arabidopsis thaliana. Plant Physiol. 122: 169-179.
    ABSTRACT

    Lers, A. Lomaniec, E. Burd, S. and Khalchitski, A. (2001) The characterization of LeNUC1, a nuclease associated with leaf senescence of tomato. Physiol. Plant. 112: 176-182.
    ABSTRACT

    Canetti, L., Lomaniec, E.,  Elkind, Y. and  Lers, A. (2002) Nuclease activities associated with dark-induced and natural leaf senescence in parsley. Plant Science 163: 873 - 880

    Lomaniec, E., Aharon, Z., Aharoni, N. and Lers, A. (2003) Effect of the ethylene action inhibitor 1-methylcyclopropene on parsley leaf senescence and ethylene biosynthesis. Postharvest Biol. Technol. 30: 67-74.

    Lers, A., Sonego, S., Green P.J. and Burd, S. (2006) Suppression of LX Ribonuclease in Tomato Results in a Delay of Leaf Senescence and Abscission. Plant Physiol. 142: 710-721.
    ABSTRACT 

    Lers, A., (2007) Physiological and molecular aspects of postharvest leaf senescence. Stewart Postharvest Review. 3: 1-6.

    Lers, A., (2007) Environmental regulation of leaf senescence. In the Annual Plant Reviews series, volume on: Senescence Processes in Plants (Gan S. ed), Blackwell Publishing, Oxford. pp 108-144.

    Abebie, B., Lers, A., Philosoph-Hadas, S., Goren, R., Riov, J. and Meir, S. (2008) Differential Effects of NAA and 2,4-D in Reducing Floret Abscission in Cestrum (Cestrum elegans) Cut Flowers are Associated with their Differential Activation of Aux/IAA Homologous Genes. Ann. Bot. 101: 249-259.

    Farage-Barhom, S., Burd, S., Sonego, L., Perl-Treves, R., Lers, A. (2008) Expression analysis of theBFN1 nuclease gene promoter during senescence, abscission, and programmed cell death-related processes. J. Exp. Bot. 59: 3247-3258.
    ABSTRACT 

    Lers, A. (2011) Potential application of biotechnology to maintain fresh produce postharvest quality and reduce losses during storage. Plant Biotechnology and Agriculture, (Altman, A. and Hasegawa, P. M., eds.), Elsevier.

    Farage-Barhom, S., Burd, S., Sonego, L., Mett, A., Belausov, E., Gidoni, D. and Lers, A. (2011) Localization of the Arabidopsis senescence- and cell death-associated BFN1 nuclease: from the ER to fragmented nuclei. Molecular Plant 4: 1062-1073.
    ABSTRACT

    Bar-Dror, T., Dermastia, M., Kladnik, A., Tusek Znidaric, M., Pompe Novak, M., Meir, S., Burd, S.,Philosoph-Hadas, S., Ori, N., Sonego, L., Dickman, M. B. and Lers, A. (2011) Programmed Cell Death Occurs Asymmetrically during Abscission in Tomato. The Plant Cell 23: 4146-4163.
    MANUSCRIPT

    Matallana-Ramirez, L.P.,  Rauf, M., Farage-Barhom, S.,  Dortay, H.,      Xue, G.P.,  Droge-Laser, W.,  Lers, A.,  Balazadeh, S., and       Mueller-Roeber, B. (2013) NAC Transcription Factor ORE1 and Senescence-Induced BIFUNCTIONAL NUCLEASE1 (BFN1)     Constitute a Regulatory Cascade in Arabidopsis.Molecular  Plant 6: 1438-1452
     MANUSCRIPT

    Thatcher, S.R.,  Burd, S., Wright, C., Lers, A. and  Green, P.J. (2014) Differential expression of miRNAs and their target genes in senescing leaves and siliques: insights from deep sequencing  of small RNAs and cleaved target RNAs. Plant, Cell and Environment 38: 188–200
    MANUSCRIPT

    Ma, C., Burd, S. and Lers, A. (2015) MiR408 is involved in abiotic stress responses in Arabidopsis. Plant J. 84: 169-187
    MANUSCRIPT

    Singh, NK.,  Paz, E., Kutsher, Y.,  Reuveni, M. and Lers, A. (2020) Tomato T2 ribonuclease LE is involved in the response to pathogens. Mol. Plant Pathol. 21: 895-906
    MANUSCIPT

    Ma, C., Chen, Q., Wang, S. and Lers, A. (2021) Down regulation of GeBP-like α factor by mir827 suggests their involvment in senescence and phosphate homeostasis. BMC Biology 19: 90
    MANUSCRIPT

    Ziv, C., Lers, A., Fallik, E. and Paran, I. (2022) Genetic and biotechnological tools to identify breeding targets for improving postharvest quality and extending shelf life of peppers. Current Opinion in Biotechnology 78, 102794.
    MANUSCRIPT

    David, S., Levin, E., Fallik, E., Alkalai-Tuvia, S., Foolad, M.R. and Lers, A. (2022) Physiological genetic variation in tomato fruit chilling tolerance during postharvest storage. Frontiers in Plant Science.
    MANUSCRIPT

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  • Updated on: 19/09/22 13:27
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