Jonathan Gershenzon Which Chemical Traits Protect the Roots of Dandelions Against Insect Damage?
Jonathan Gershenzon is Director of the Department of Biochemistry at the Max Planck Institute for Chemical Ecology and Honorary Professor at Friedrich Schiller University, both Jena, Germany. Before joining the Max Planck Society, he worked as a scientist at the Institute for Biological Chemistry, Washington State University in Pullman. Gershenzon studies the biochemistry of plant defenses, focusing on two major groups: glucosinolates and terpenoids. In 2013, he was elected into the American Association for the Advancement of Science and listed as one of the Most Cited Authors in Plant Sciences in Europe by Lab Times.
Area of Research
Biochemistry
since 1997
since 1999
Honorary Professor
Friedrich Schiller University Jena (Friedrich-Schiller-Universität Jena)
2005-2008
1991-1996
Assistant Scientist
Washington State University
Institute of Biological Chemistry
1983-1984
Robert A. Welch Graduate Fellow
University of Texas
Department of Botany
1981-1982
Teaching Assistant
University of Texas
Department of Botany
1978-1980
National Science Foundation Graduate Fellow
University of Texas
1984
PhD in Botany
University of Texas, Austin
1977
Bachelor in Biology
University of California, Santa Cruz
- Annals of Botany
- Archives of Biochemistry & Biophysics
- Biochemical Systematics & Ecology
- Chemoecology
- Ecology Lettters
- European Journal of Biochemistry
- FEBS Letters
- Journal of Agricultural & Food Chemistry
- Journal of Chemical Ecology
- Nature
- Nature Chemical Biology
- Phytochemistry
- Plant Cell
- Plant Journal
- Plant Molecular Biology
- Plant Physiology
- Plant Systematics & Evolution
- Planta
- Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences USA
- Science
- Tree Physiology
- American Society of Plant Biologists
- International Society of Chemical Ecology
- International Society of Plant Molecular Biology
- Phytochemical Society of North America
- Phytochemical Society of Europe
Fellowships
- Elected Fellow of the American Association for the Advancement of Science (2013)
- Elected Chair of Gordon Research Conference on Floral and Vegetative Volatiles (2012)
- Robert A. Welch Fellowship, University of Texas (1982-1984)
- National Science Foundation Graduate Fellowship (3 Years) (1978)
Prizes
- Listed as one of Most Cited Authors in Plant Sciences in Europe (2005-2011, Rank #10), Lab Times (2013)
- Selected to Gordon Research Conference “Hall of Fame” for Organizing One of the Best 2012 Conferences (2012)
- Ralph Alston Award to Outstanding Paper Presented at Annual Meetings of Phytochemical Section of Botanical Society of America (1984)
- Phytochemical Society of North America Award to Outstanding Paper Presented by a Graduate Student (1984)
- Professional Development Award, University of Texas (1982)
- Sunflower Association of America Research Grant (1980)
- Graduate Student Research Grants, University of Texas (1979, 1980)
© Maximilian Dörrbecker
Max Planck Society
"The Max Planck Society is Germany's most successful research organization. Since its establishment in 1948, no fewer than 18 Nobel laureates have emerged from the ranks of its scientists, putting it on a par with the best and most prestigious research institutions worldwide. The more than 15,000 publications each year in internationally renowned scientific journals are proof of the outstanding research work conducted at Max Planck Institutes – and many of those articles are among the most-cited publications in the relevant field." (Source)
Institute
Max Planck Institute for Chemical Ecology
"The Max Planck Institute for Chemical Ecology in Jena investigates the role, diversity and characteristics of chemical signals which control the interactions between organisms and their environment. Scientists from the fields of ecology, biochemistry, organic chemistry, entomology, ethology, and insect physiology work closely together in the Institute in order to understand the complex system of chemical communication. Their research focuses on the co-evolution of plants and insects. The fact that plants usually spend their entire lives in one place forces them to use effective strategies to guarantee that their offspring are spread and also to protect themselves against pests and diseases. To this effect, plants have developed a wide range of chemical signalling compounds that enable them to optimise their adaptation to their respective environments. These so-called allelochemicals are used to, among other things, attract pollinators, fend off herbivores and pests, fight diseases and keep unwelcome competitors away. Plants also synthesise mixtures of many organic substances that have a deterrent or toxic effect on herbivores. As a countermeasure, insects that feed on plants adapt accordingly and, for their part, try to overcome plant defences." (Source)
Map
Plants use certain chemical compounds to defend themselves against animals that feed on them. As JONATHAN GERSHENZON explains in this video, dandelions are a very good model to research the defences of plants because they are especially robust. The research team therefore investigated dandelions to identify the compound that protects the roots from being damaged by insects. They studied dandelions from different regions and with different levels of these particular compounds. In a next step they compared the amount of damage after exhibiting them to an insect that feeds on the roots. After altering the plant's production of this compound the researchers found that dandelions with reduced levels of the compound were fed on more heavily by this particular insect.
LT Video Publication DOI: https://doi.org/10.21036/LTPUB10219
A Latex Metabolite Benefits Plant Fitness under Root Herbivore Attack
- Meret Huber, Janina Epping, Christian Schulze Gronover, Julia Fricke, Zohra Aziz, Théo Brillatz, Michael Swyers, Tobias G. Köllner, Heiko Vogel, Almuth Hammerbacher, Daniella Triebwasser-Freese, Christelle A. M. Robert, Koen Verhoeven et al
- PLoS Biology
- Published in 2016
