Ralf Kaldenhoff

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Ralf Kaldenhoff (born October 2, 1958 in Empelde ) is a German botanist and professor of applied plant science at the Technical University of Darmstadt . He is best known for his work on the aquaporin protein class to facilitate the diffusion of CO₂ in plant tissue and cells or chloroplasts .

Professional background

Kaldenhoff studied biology at the University of Hanover . In October 1986 he received his PhD with the thesis Genexpression during the Initial Phase of Blue Light Dependent Chloroplast Differentiation . He then worked as a postdoc at the University of Hanover at the Department of Botany. 1989–91 Kaldenhoff worked at the Max Planck Institute for Molecular Genetics in Berlin. In 1991 he became an assistant professor at the Institute for Botany at the University of Hanover and completed his habilitation with the thesis Studies about morphogenesis under blue light in Neurospora crassa, Chenopodium rubrum and Arabidopsis thaliana . In 1996 Kaldenhoff received a call to the University of Würzburg , Institute for Molecular Plant Physiology (Julius von Sachs Institute for Biosciences) and in 2003 he moved to the Technical University of Darmstadt. As a professor of botany, he heads the Applied Plant Sciences working group .

Act

Kaldenhoff is one of the discoverers of plant aquaporins . He was the first to succeed in characterizing the function of these proteins in plant cells as components of the facilitated cellular water diffusion and to prove their occurrence in plant tissue. Kaldenhoff's discovery was groundbreaking that the aquaporin protein class he was investigating led to the easier diffusion of CO₂ in plant tissue and cells or chloroplasts. This enabled him to discover a previously unrecognized connection in the photosynthesis mechanism. The fact that a protein facilitates the diffusion of a gas changed the idea of ​​the diffusion of CO₂ in cells of all living things. Kaldenhoff has succeeded in proving the CO₂ conductivity of an aquaporin for the first time. He has helped revise the idea of ​​biomembrane transport.

Kaldenhoff has also studied the interaction of parasitic plants with host plants . He recognized molecular mechanisms that can be used to combat parasitic plants . Kaldenhoff and his colleagues are currently working on the cultivation of microalgae in large-scale systems and their use for the production of proteins, fatty acids, vitamins and other ingredients or basic substances for various branches / industries. The research of the basics in plant sciences and the implementation of the acquired knowledge in usable applications for humans is the goal of Kaldenhoff's work.

Kaldenhoff has published a total of over 80 publications, including currently participations in 5 patent applications.

Activities abroad

  • 1994 The Ohio State University, Columbus, USA: Visiting scientist, laboratory Prof. R. Hangarter.
  • 1995 Osaka City University, Osaka, Japan: Member of the Yamada Science Foundation.

Appointments

  • 1998–2000 Deputy Speaker of the Graduate College, University of Würzburg
  • 2000–2003 Deputy Dean of the Faculty of Biology, University of Würzburg
  • 2002–2004 Dean of Studies of the Faculty of Biology, Technical University Darmstadt
  • 2004–2006 director of the Institute for Botany, Technical University Darmstadt
  • Since 2010 - Commissioner for External Relations at the Technical University of Darmstadt

Honors

  • 1980 Science Prize of the City of Hanover

Publications (books)

Practical Biochemistry (2003) Thieme Stuttgart.

Web links

Individual evidence

  1. ↑ Kaldenhoff, R., A. Kolling, and G. Richter, A Novel Blue Light-Inducible and Abscisic Acid-Inducible Gene of Arabidopsis-Thaliana Encoding An Intrinsic Membrane-Protein. Plant Molecular Biology, 1993. 23 (6): p. 1187-1198.
  2. ↑ Kaldenhoff, R., A. Kolling, J. Meyers, U. Karmann, G. Ruppel, and G. Richter, The blue light-responsive AthH2 gene of Arabidopsis thaliana is primarily expressed in expanding as well as in differentiating cells and encodes a putative channel protein of the plasmalemma. The Plant journal: for cell and molecular biology, 1995. 7 (1): p. 87-95
  3. ↑ Biela, A., K. Grote, B. Otto, S. Hoth, R. Hedrich, and R. Kaldenhoff, The Nicotiana tabacum plasma membrane aquaporin NtAQP1 is mercury-insensitive and permeable for glycerol. The Plant journal: for cell and molecular biology, 1999. 18 (5): p. 565-70.
  4. ↑ Siefritz, F., MT Tyree, C. Lovisolo, A. Schubert, and R. Kaldenhoff, PIP1 plasma membrane aquaporins in tobacco: from cellular effects to function in plants. Plant Cell, 2002. 14 (4): p. 869-76.
  5. ↑ Otto, B. and R. Kaldenhoff, Cell-specific expression of the mercury-insensitive plasma-membrane aquaporin NtAQP1 from Nicotiana tabacum. Planta, 2000. 211 (2): p. 167-72.
  6. ↑ Otto, B., N. Uehlein, S. Sdorra, M. Fischer, M. Ayaz, X.astenegui-Macadam, M. Heckwolf, M. Lachnit, N. Pede, N. Priem, A. Reinhard, S. Siegfart, M. Urban, and R. Kaldenhoff, Aquaporin tetramer composition modifies the function of tobacco aquaporins. Journal of Biological Chemistry, 2010. 285 (41): p. 31253-60.
  7. ↑ Uehlein, N., C. Lovisolo, F. Siefritz, and R. Kaldenhoff, The tobacco aquaporin NtAQP1 is a membrane CO₂ pore with physiological functions. Nature, 2003. 425 (6959): p. 734-7.
  8. ↑ Uehlein, N., B. Otto, D. Hanson, M. Fischer, N. McDowell, and R. Kaldenhoff, Function of Nicotiana tabacum aquaporins as chloroplast gas pores challenges the concept of membrane CO₂ permeability. Plant Cell, 2008. 20 (3): p. 648-57.
  9. ↑ Flexas, J., M. Ribas-Carbo, DT Hanson, J. Bota, B. Otto, J. Cifre, N. McDowell, H. Medrano, and R. Kaldenhoff, Tobacco aquaporin NtAQP1 is involved in mesophyll conductance to CO₂ in vivo. Plant Journal, 2006. 48 (3): p. 427-39.
  10. ↑ Heckwolf, M., D. Pater, DT Hanson, and R. Kaldenhoff, The Arabidopsis thaliana aquaporin AtPIP1; 2 is a physiologically relevant CO transport facilitator. The Plant journal: for cell and molecular biology, 2011. 67 (5): p. 795-804.
  11. ↑ Evans, JR, R. Kaldenhoff, B. Genty, and I. Terashima, Resistances along the CO₂ diffusion pathway inside leaves. Journal of Experimental Botany, 2009. 60 (8): p. 2235-48.
  12. ↑ Kaldenhoff, R., Mechanisms underlying CO₂ diffusion in leaves. Current Opinion in Plant Biology, 2012. 15 (3): p. 276-281.
  13. ↑ Uehlein, N., B. Otto, A. Eilingsfeld, F. Itel, W. Meier, and R. Kaldenhoff, Gas-tight triblock-copolymer membranes are converted to CO (2) permeable by insertion of plant aquaporins. Sci Rep, 2012. 2: p. 538
  14. ↑ Rehker, J., M. Lachnit, and R. Kaldenhoff, Molecular convergence of the parasitic plant species Cuscuta reflexa and Phelipanche aegyptiaca. Planta, 2012.
personal data
SURNAME Kaldenhoff, Ralf
BRIEF DESCRIPTION German botanist and university professor
DATE OF BIRTH October 2, 1958
PLACE OF BIRTH Empelde