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At IMB, we explore the molecular biology of the nucleus with an overarching focus on gene regulation, epigenetics & genome stability

Johannes Gutenberg University (JGU) Mainz

Peter Baumann  Dorothee Dormann  Susanne Foitzik  Thomas Hankeln  Mark Helm  Meret Huber  Edward Lemke  Brian Luke  Helen May-Simera  Marion Silies  Lukas Stelzl  Roland Strauss  Andreas Wachter  Marie-Luise Winz  Eva Wolf  Uwe Wolfrum  Shuqing Xu  Hans Zischler 

Exploring and exploiting plant defence

Meret Huber

My research group studies how plants adapt to environmental stresses, particularly to herbivory. We combine high-throughput sequencing approaches with experimental evolution, metabolic profiling and genetic manipulation to elucidate the genetic, epigenetic and physiological bases of plant adaptation using duckweed as a model system. Furthermore, we use the acquired methods to transform duckweeds into green biofactories to produce high-value metabolites in plants. Through these studies, we will improve our conceptual understanding of plant defence and explore potential industrial applications.

Research website 

Positions held

  • Since 2023: Associate Professor, University of Mainz
  • 2023: Assistant Professor, University of Mainz
  • 2022 – 2023: Interim Professor, University of Mainz
  • 2018 – 2022: Junior Research Group Leader, University of Münster
  • 2016 – 2016: Postdoctoral Researcher, Max-Planck Institute for Chemical Ecology, Jena

 

Education

  • 2015: PhD, Max-Planck Institute for Chemical Ecology, Jena, Germany 
  • 2011: Master in Biology, University of Zürich, Switzerland 
  • 2009: Bachelor in Biology, University of Zürich, Switzerland

Selected Publications by Meret Huber

Böttner L, Malacrinò A, Schulze Gronover C, van Deenen N, Müller B, Xu S, Gershenzon J, Prüfer D, Huber M* (2023) Natural rubber reduces herbivory and alters the microbiome below ground. New Phytologist, 239: 1475-1489. Link

Huber M*, Roder T, Gablenz S, Irmisch S, Riedel A, Fricke J, Rahfeld P, Reichelt M, Paetz C, Liechti N, Hu L, Bont Z, Meng Y, Huang W, Robert CAM, Gershenzon J, Erb M* (2021). A beta-glucosidase of an insect herbivore determines both toxicity and deterrence of a dandelion defense metabolite. eLife, 10:e68642. Link

Huber M*, Gablenz S, Höfer M (2021) Transgenerational non-genetic inheritance has fitness costs and benefits under recurring stress in the clonal duckweed Spirodela polyrhiza. Proceedings of the Royal Society of London B: Biological Sciences. 288: 20211269. Link

Xu S*, Stapley J, Gablenz S, Boyer J, Appenroth KJ, SK Sree, Gershenzon J, Widmer A, Huber M* (2019) Low genetic variation is associated with low mutation rate in the giant duckweed. Nature Communications. 10. Link

Huber M, Epping J, Schulze Gronover C, Fricke J, Aziz Z, Brillatz T, Swyers M, Köllner TG, Vogel H, Hammerbacher A, Triebwasser-Freese D, Robert CAM, Verhoeven K, Preite V, Gershenzon J, Erb M* (2016) A latex metabolite benefits plant fitness under root herbivore attack. PLoS Biology. 14(1): e1002332. Link