The goal of the research at the Max Planck Institute for Molecular Plant Physiology (MPI-MP) is the investigation and understanding of complex processes, such as the absorption, composition, transport, storage, and releasing of substances in plants. On the basis of a comprehensive approach, and in contrast to previous research, the complexity and cross-linking of genes and their products within the plant will be taken into consideration. Methods, both from genetic engineering (insulation, change, and transfer of genetic material) and the practices of classical plant breeding, are utilized to achieve that purpose.
One of these methods is the genchip technology, which is used at our institute to compare the development of characteristics of plants under various test conditions. Another approach of the MPI-MP is the multi-parallel - i.e. simultaneous - analysis of metabolism products, the so-called metabolite profiling.
Although basic research is performed at the institute, applicable research results are often found. In one such a case, a potato was developed which showed a starch content increase of 30 percent. Another example is the transgenetic thale cress - Arabidopsis thaliana - which can accumulate more than four percent of its fresh weight in the form of polyhydroxybutyrate (PHB). It is possible to synthesise bioplastics out of PHB, a material which is 100 percent bio-degradable, so that with sufficient PHB accumulation bio-degradable synthetic articles could be produced in future from plants.
Address:
Max-Planck-Institut für molekulare Pflanzenphysiologie
Am Mühlenberg 1
14476 Golm
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