Johannes Stratmann

Associate Professor of Biological Sciences
Ph.D. 1995, University of Regensburg
407 Coker Life Sciences
803-777-5730
johstrat@biol.sc.edu

Stratmann Lab Page

Stress Signal Transduction and the Role of MAP Kinases in Tomato Leaf Cells

Plants are often exposed to stressful conditions in their environment. To survive and reproduce, they evolved sophisticated defensive and protective strategies. We use tomato as a model plant to study defense responses to herbivorous insects, pathogens, and ultraviolet-B radiation. These stresses induce specific gene expression patterns via signaling pathways. Our aim is to characterize the molecular mechanisms of stress signal transduction within the highly complex plant signaling network that integrates multiple stress signals in order to launch an appropriate cellular defense response. Our focus is on membrane-bound receptors and mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK) cascades. In the long run, our work will provide clues for biotechnology aimed at generating crop plants that are more resistant to the stresses they encounter in their environment. For more information please visit the Stratmann Lab home page.

Selected Publications:

Lanfermeijer, F.C., Staal, M., Malinowski, R., Stratmann, J.W., and Elzenga, J.T.M. (2007) Micro-electrode Flux Estimation confirms that the Solanum pimpinellifolium cu3 Mutant Still Responds to Systemin. Plant Physiology. In press.

Stratmann, J.W. (2007) MAP kinases in plant responses to herbivory. In Induced Plant Resistance to Herbivory. (A. Schaller, ed.), Springer; ISBN: 978-1-4020-8181-1

Kandoth P.K, Ranf S., Pancholi S.S, Jayanty S., Walla M.D., Miller W., Howe G..A, Lincoln D.E., Stratmann J.W. (2007) Tomato MAPKs LeMPK1, LeMPK2, and LeMPK3 function in the systemin-mediated defense response against herbivorous insects. Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. USA, 104: 12205-12210.

Stulemeijer, I.J.E., Stratmann, J.W., and Joosten, M.H.A.J. (2007) The tomato MAP Kinases LeMPK1, -2 and -3 are activated during the Cf-4/Avr4-induced HR, and have distinct phosphorylation specificities. Plant Physiology, 144: 1481-1494

Higgins R., Lockwood T., Holley S., Yalamanchili, R., Stratmann, J.W. (2007) Changes in extracellular pH are neither required nor sufficient for activation of mitogen-activated protein kinases (MAPKs) in response to systemin and fusicoccin in tomato. Planta 225:1535-1546

Sagi M., Davydov, O., Orazova, S., Yesbergenova, Y., Ophir, R., Stratmann, J.W., and Fluhr, R. (2004) Plant respiratory burst oxidase homologs impinge on wound responsiveness and development in Lycopersicon esculentum. Plant Cell 16:616-28.

Stratmann, J.W. (2003) Ultraviolet-B radiation co-opts defense signaling pathways. Trends in Plant Science 11(8), 526-533.

Holley, S.R., Yalamanchili, R.D., Moura, S.D., Ryan, C.A., and Stratmann, J.W. (2003) Convergence of signaling pathways induced by systemin, oligosaccharide elicitors, and ultraviolet-B radiation at the level of mitogen-activated protein kinases in Lycopersicon peruvianum suspension-cultured cells. Plant Physiol. 132, 1728-1738.

Stratmann, J.W. (2003) Long distance run in the wound response - jasmonic acid is pulling ahead. Trends in Plant Science 8(6), 247-250.

Yalamanchili, R. D. and Stratmann, J. W. (2002). Ultraviolet-B activates components of the systemin signaling pathway in Lycopersicon peruvianum suspension-cultured cells. J. Biol. Chem. Paper in Press.
(published May 28, 2002 as 10.1074/jbc.M203844200)

Pearce, G., Moura, D. S., Stratmann, J. and Ryan, C.A. (2001). RALF, a 5-kDa ubiquitous polypeptide in plants, arrests root growth and development. Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. USA 98: 12843-12847.
(published online before print as 10.1073/pnas.201416998)

Pearce, G., Moura, D., Stratmann, J. and Ryan, C. A. (2001) Production of multiple plant hormones from a single polyprotein precursor. Nature 411, 817-820.

Stratmann, J., Scheer, J. and Ryan, C. A. (2000) Suramin inhibits initiation of defense signaling by systemin, chitosan and pmg-elicitor in suspension cultured Lycopersicon peruvianum cells. Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. USA 97 (16), 8862-8867.

Stratmann, J., Stelmach, B., Weiler, E. W. and Ryan, C. A. (2000) UV-B radiation activates a 48 kDa MBP kinase and potentiates wound signaling in tomato leaves. Photochem. Photobiol. 71(2), 116-123.

Stratmann, J.and Ryan, C.A. (1997) Myelin basic protein kinase activity in tomato leaves is induced systemically by wounding and increases in response to systemin and oligosaccharide elicitors. Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. USA 94, 11085 - 11089.

Stratmann, J., Paputsoglu, G. and Oertel, W. (1996) Differentiation of Ulva mutabilis (Chlorophyta) gametangia and gamete release are controlled by extracellular inhibitors. J. Phycol. 32, 1009 - 1021.

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