Alex Van Moerkercke
I am a postdoctoral researcher from Belgium working in the Molecular Cell Biology unit. My research interest focuses on plant hormone signalling, plant specialised metabolism, metabolic engineering and (transcriptional) regulation of stress responses in plants.
For my PhD at the Plant Physiology group of the University of Amsterdam, I studied regulation and cell biology of floral scent (volatile benzenoid and phenylpropanoid) biosynthesis in Petunia. I then returned to Belgium with a European Molecular Biology Organisation (EMBO) long-term fellowship to the VIB-Department of Plant Systems Biology at Ghent University. Here, I studied the transcriptional and hormonal (jasmonate) regulation of monoterpenoid indole alkaloid biosynthesis in the medicinal plant Catharanthus roseus and triterpenoid biosynthesis in the model plant Arabidopsis thaliana.
Currently, I am focussing on early signalling responses (hormonal crosstalk, receptors) and regulatory mechanisms (transcriptional regulation, posttranscriptional regulation, signalling) to touch in Arabidopsis. For this, we mainly mind genome-scale RNA-Seq data sets in combination with Chip-Seq and proteomic data analyses in different stress situations and relevant mutant lines, to identify key players in touch response.
Publications
Retrieved from Lund University's publications database
Publications
- Journal article
- An engineered combinatorial module of transcription factors boosts production of monoterpenoid indole alkaloids in Catharanthus roseus
(2018) Metabolic Engineering, 48 p.150-162
- Identification of Iridoid Glucoside Transporters in Catharanthus roseus
(2017) Plant and Cell Physiology, 58 p.1507-1518
- Clade IVa Basic Helix-Loop-Helix Transcription Factors Form Part of a Conserved Jasmonate Signaling Circuit for the Regulation of Bioactive Plant Terpenoid Biosynthesis
(2016) Plant and Cell Physiology, 57 p.2564-2575
- The basic helix-loop-helix transcription factor BIS2 is essential for monoterpenoid indole alkaloid production in the medicinal plant Catharanthus roseus
(2016) Plant Journal, 88 p.3-12
- CCoAOMT Down-Regulation Activates Anthocyanin Biosynthesis in Petunia
(2016) Plant Physiology, 170 p.717-731
- The bHLH transcription factor BIS1 controls the iridoid branch of the monoterpenoid indole alkaloid pathway in Catharanthus roseus
(2015) Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America, 112 p.8130-8135
- Iridoid synthase activity is common among the plant progesterone 5β-reductase family
(2015) Molecular Plant, 8 p.136-152
- CathaCyc, a metabolic pathway database built from Catharanthus roseus RNA-Seq data
(2013) Plant and Cell Physiology, 54 p.673-685
- A peroxisomally localized acyl-activating enzyme is required for volatile benzenoid formation in a Petuniaxhybrida cv. 'Mitchell Diploid' flower
(2012) Journal of Experimental Botany, 63 p.33-4821
- Regulators of floral fragrance production and their target genes in petunia are not exclusively active in the epidermal cells of petals
(2012) Journal of Experimental Botany, 63 p.71-3157
- A model for combinatorial regulation of the petunia R2R3-MYB transcription factor ODORANT1
(2012) Plant Signaling and Behavior, 7 p.20-518
- The transcription factor EMISSION OF BENZENOIDS II activates the MYB ODORANT1 promoter at a MYB binding site specific for fragrant petunias
(2011) Plant Journal, 67 p.28-917
- A plant thiolase involved in benzoic acid biosynthesis and volatile benzenoid production
(2009) Plant Journal, 60 p.292-302
- An engineered combinatorial module of transcription factors boosts production of monoterpenoid indole alkaloids in Catharanthus roseus
