Stefan Gleissberg
Assistant Professor
Dr. rer. nat., Ruprecht-Karls-Universität, Heidelberg, Germany, 1996
Plant Development and EvolutionPorter Hall 500
740 593 2549Other Websites
The Gleissberg Lab Research Pages
Faculty Research Focus Areas
Evolutionary Developmental Plant Biology
Courses
BIOL 101 Principles of Biology
PBIO 115 Plant Structure and Development
PBIO 442/542 Experimental Anatomy of Plant Development
Departmental Service
BIOL 101 Lab Coordinator
IT Committee (Chair)
Evaluation Committee
Colloquium Coordinator
Growth chambers Porter 413
Microscopy facility Porter 425
Tissue preparation Porter 428
Research Program Summary
My research interest is in the developmental basis of plant form and its diversification during evolution. Studies typically combine comparative developmental morphology and molecular genetics.
In particular, my work aims to understand how leaves develop, and how the molecular control of developmental processes have changed during evolution to give rise to the impressive diversity of leaf morphology that we see in nature.
Our studies concentrate on the Papaveraceae, a plant family at the very base of the large eudicot lineage of angiosperms. Understanding the genetic control of morphogenesis in basal eudicots is important for assessing evolution of development across angiosperms. Within this family, the California Poppy Eschscholzia californica has become a model plant.
Other recent projects are addressing the role of YABBY genes in the evolution of peltate leaves in Tropaeolum majus, and the role of CYCLOIDEA-like genes in shoot branching and flower symmetry.
Undergraduate and graduate students are welcome to inquire possibilities to conduct research projects in the lab. Funding may be available even when no position is advertised.
Selected References
Wege S, Scholz A, Gleissberg S and Becker A 2007: Highly efficient virus-induced gene silencing (VIGS) in California poppy (Eschscholzia californica Cham.): An evaluation of VIGS as a strategy to obtain functional data from non-model plants. Annals of Botany 100: 641-649
Kölsch A and Gleissberg S 2006: Diversification of CYCLOIDEA-like TCP genes in the basal eudicot families Fumariaceae and Papaveraceae s.str. Plant Biology 8: 680-687
Groot EP, Sinha N and Gleissberg S 2005. Expression patterns of STM-like KNOX and Histone H4 genes in shoot development of the dissected-leaved basal eudicot plants Chelidonium majus and Eschscholzia californica (Papaveraceae). Plant Molecular Biology 58 (3): 217-331
Gleissberg S, Groot EP, Schmalz M, Eichert M, Kölsch A, and Hutter S 2005. Developmental events leading to peltate leaf structure in Tropaeolum majus are associated with expression domain changes of a YABBY gene. Development, Genes and Evolution 215 (6): 313-319
Becker A, Gleissberg S and Smyth D 2005. Floral and vegetative morphogenesis in California poppy (Eschscholzia californica Cham.). International Journal of Plant Sciences 166 (4): 537-555
Gleissberg S 2004. Comparative analysis of leaf shape development in Eschscholzia californica and other Papaveraceae-Eschscholzioideae. American Journal of Botany 91:306-312
Busch A and Gleissberg S 2003. EcFLO, a FLORICAULA-like gene from Eschscholzia californica is expressed during organogenesis at the vegetative shoot apex. Planta 217 (6): 841-848
Berger S, Fettweiss U, Gleissberg S, Liddle LB, Richter U, Sawitzky H and Zuccarello GC 2003. 18S rDNA phylogeny and evolution of cap development in Polyphysaceae (formerly Acetabulariaceae; Dasycladales, Chlorophyta). Phycologia 42 (5): 506-561
Gleissberg S and Kadereit JW 1999. Evolution of leaf morphogenesis: evidence from developmental and phylogenetic data in Papaveraceae. International Journal of Plant Sciences 160: 787-794.
Hagemann, W. and Gleissberg S 1996. Organogenetic capacity of leaves: the significance of marginal blastozones in angiosperms. Plant Systematics and Evolution 199: 121-152.
Current and Recent Research Projects
YABBY genes in Eschscholzia californica.
Functional studies of FLORICAULA/LEAFY in Eschscholzia californica.
Altered leaf development in Kohleria plants overexpressing a KNOX gene.
Class I KNOX genes in Eschscholzia californica.
Effects of phytohormones on phyllotaxy and leaf dissection in Papaveraceae.
Isolation and characterization of AP2-like genes in Eschscholzia californica.