Speaker: Prof. Ulrich Hammes, Universität Würzburg
Biozentrum, Julius-von-Sachs-
Institut für Biowissenschaften, Lehrstuhl für Molekulare
Pflanzenphysiologie und Biophysik – Botanik
Abstract: Auxins are key plant hormones that regulate nearly every aspect of plant growth and
development, and their distribution within plant tissues depends on a diverse set of transport
proteins with distinct biochemical and structural features. In this lecture, I will present recent
advances in our understanding of auxin transport, with a particular focus on the PIN-FORMED
family of auxin efflux carriers. Recent structural breakthroughs have significantly deepened our
insight into how these transporters function at the molecular level, revealing new details of the
auxin export process. These findings also shed light on the mode of action of synthetic auxinic
herbicides such as 2,4-D and TIBA. Building on these developments, I will discuss how emerging
data are reshaping current models of the auxin transporter network and its role in directing
hormone distribution throughout the plant. A deeper understanding of auxin transport mechanisms
is essential not only for decoding fundamental principles of plant growth and development, but
also for advancing strategies in crop improvement and plant biotechnology.
Time: Wednesday, June 10th, 3:00 PM
Location: Seminar Room Cell Biology
Host Prof. Dr. Uwe Sonnewald