Project Leader Per Hofvander

Research expertise in: Plant molecular biology and biochemistry including plant transformation and genome editing. Research interests in the genetic regulation (transcription factor, cis-regulation) for plant accumulation of oil, starch and protein as well as the genetics and biochemistry determining quality and molecular structure of said compounds. Plant production of insect pheromones which are fatty acid derivatives.

Brief summary of achievements

In carbon allocation we have functionally determined the impact and interaction of transcription factors of importance for oil and protein accumulation as well as seed development. We have, additionally, translated research on oil accumulation in the endosperm of oat and tubers of yellow nutsedge into wheat producing oil in endosperm and potato with oil in tubers. Field trials have been performed with both wheat and potato. We have furthermore utilized genome editing in potato for the production of specific and desired starch qualities. In plant pheromone production we have produced pheromone molecules in tobacco and precursors as components of the oil in Camelina. For both production pathways, we have proven the concept by using plant produced molecules for pheromone blends to trap specific moth species. The aim is to use blends for mating disruption of specific plant pests. Field trials have been performed in Sweden, US and Canada.

Selected publication related to TC4F

Transcription factor analysis: WRINKLED1 is subject to evolutionary conserved negative autoregulation, P Snell, Å Grimberg, AS Carlsson, P Hofvander (2019) Frontiers in Plant Science 10, 387

Oil induction: Potato tuber expression of Arabidopsis WRINKLED1 increase triacylglycerol and membrane lipids while affecting central carbohydrate metabolism, P Hofvander, T Ischebeck, H Turesson, SK Kushwaha, I Feussner, (2016) Plant biotechnology journal 14 (9), 1883-1898

Starch quality: Efficient targeted multiallelic mutagenesis in tetraploid potato (Solanum tuberosum) by transient CRISPR-Cas9 expression in protoplasts, M Andersson, H Turesson, A Nicolia, AS Fält, M Samuelsson, (2017) Plant Cell Reports 36 (1), 117-128

Concept of pheromone production: A plant factory for moth pheromone production, BJ Ding, P Hofvander, HL Wang, TP Durrett, S Stymne, C Löfstedt (2014) Nature communications 5, 3353