Dr Oliver Berkowitz
Research Associate
Contact details
| Address | School of Plant Biology The University of Western Australia (M084) 35 Stirling Highway CRAWLEY WA 6009 Australia |
|---|---|
| Phone | 9360 7537 |
| oliver.berkowitz@uwa.edu.au |
Biography
- 1991-1996 Study of Biology, Ruhr-University Bochum, Germany
- 1996-1997 MSc in Molecular and Cell Biology
(Analysis of the serine acetyltransferase gene family in Arabidopsis thaliana)
- 1997-2002 PhD Institute of Plant Genetics and Crop Plant Research Gatersleben/Martin-Luther University Halle/Wittenberg,Germany
(Regulation of Sulfate Assimilation by the Cysteine Synthase Complex)
- 2002-2003 Postdoc - IPK Gatersleben
- 2003-2008 Postdoc - The Australian National University, Research School of Biological Science (Molecular Characterisation of the root stress response to mechanical impedance)
- 2009- Research Associate, Murdoch University/UWA (Mode of Phosphite Action on the Arabidopsis/Phytophthora interaction)
- 1996-1997 MSc in Molecular and Cell Biology
(Analysis of the serine acetyltransferase gene family in Arabidopsis thaliana)
- 1997-2002 PhD Institute of Plant Genetics and Crop Plant Research Gatersleben/Martin-Luther University Halle/Wittenberg,Germany
(Regulation of Sulfate Assimilation by the Cysteine Synthase Complex)
- 2002-2003 Postdoc - IPK Gatersleben
- 2003-2008 Postdoc - The Australian National University, Research School of Biological Science (Molecular Characterisation of the root stress response to mechanical impedance)
- 2009- Research Associate, Murdoch University/UWA (Mode of Phosphite Action on the Arabidopsis/Phytophthora interaction)
Key research
- Plant Molecular Biology
- Primary plant metabolism
- Protein/Protein Interactions
- Molecular Plant/Pathogen interactions
- TOR signaling
Major research interests
- Genetic manipulation of plants
- Molecular genetics of plant disease resistance/tolerance
- Plant biochemistry and physiology
- Plant molecular biology
Publications
Journals (peer reviewed)
Jost, R., Berkowitz, O., Shaw, J., and Masle, J. (2009). Biochemical characterization of two wheat phosphoethanolamine N-methyltransferase isoforms with different sensitivities to inhibition by phosphatidic acid. J Biol Chem., in press
Berkowitz, O., Jost, R., Pollmann, S., and Masle, J. (2008). Characterization of TCTP, the translationally controlled tumor protein, from Arabidopsis thaliana. Plant Cell 20, 3430-3447.
Jost, R., Berkowitz, O., Masle, J (2007) Magnetic qRT-PCR: A high-throughput method for mRNA extraction and qRT-PCR from plant tissue. Biotechniques 43, 206-211.
Pollmann, S., Neu, D., Lehmann, T., Berkowitz, O., Schafer, T., and Weiler, E.W. (2006). Sub-cellular localization and tissue specific expression of amidase 1 from Arabidopsis thaliana. Planta 224, 1241-1253.
Kawashima, C.G., Berkowitz, O., Hell, R., Noji, M. and Saito, K. (2005) Characterization and expression analysis of a serine acetyltransferase gene family involved in a key step of the sulfur assimilation pathway in Arabidopsis. Plant Physiol, 137, 220-230.
Berkowitz, O., Wirtz, M., Wolf, A., Kuhlmann, J. and Hell, R. (2002) Use of biomolecular interaction analysis to elucidate the regulatory mechanism of the cysteine synthase complex from
Arabidopsis thaliana. J Biol Chem, 277, 30629-34.
Kruger, C., Berkowitz, O., Stephan, U.W. and Hell, R. (2002) A Metal-binding Member of the Late Embryogenesis Abundant Protein Family Transports Iron in the Phloem of Ricinus communis L. J Biol Chem, 277, 25062-9.
Hell, R., Jost, R., Berkowitz, O. and Wirtz, M. (2002) Molecular and biochemical analysis of the enzymes of cysteine biosynthesis in the plant Arabidopsis thaliana. Amino Acids, 22, 245-257.
Wirtz, M., Berkowitz, O., Droux, M. and Hell, R. (2001) The cysteine synthase complex from plants. Mitochondrial serine acetyltransferase from Arabidopsis thaliana carries a bifunctional domain for catalysis and protein-protein interaction. Eur J Biochem, 268, 686-93.
Jost, R., Berkowitz, O., Wirtz, M., Hopkins, L., Hawkesford, M.J. and Hell, R. (2000) Genomic and functional characterization of the oas gene family encoding O-acetylserine (thiol) lyases, enzymes catalyzing the final step in cysteine biosynthesis in Arabidopsis thaliana. Gene, 253, 237-47.
Book Chapters
Berkowitz, O., Wirtz, M., Wolf, A., Kuhlmann, J. and Hell, R. (2003) Application of the BIAcore Technology for the Analysis of the Protein Interactions within the Cysteine Synthase Complex. In: Davidian J-C, Grill D, De Kok LJ, Stulen I, Hawkesford MJ, Schnug E, Rennenberg H, (eds.), Sulfur Transport and Assimilation: Regulation, Interaction and Signaling. Backhuys Publishers, Leiden, The Netherlands
Hell, R., Jost, R., Berkowitz, O., Nebe, G. and Wirtz, M. (2000) Cellular biology and molecular regulation of primary sulphur metabolism in Arabidopsis thaliana. In: Luit J. De Kok, Dieter Grill, Malcolm J. Hawkesford, Ewald Schnug & Ineke Stulen (eds.), Plant Sulfur Research in Europe, Landbauforschung Völkenrode 218, 51-54.
Wirtz, M., Berkowitz, O. and Hell, R. (2000) Analysis of plant cysteine synthesis in vivo using E. coli as a host. In: Brunold, C., Rennenberg, H., De Kok, L.J., Stulen, I. and Davidian, J.-C. (eds.), Sulfur nutrition and sulfur assimilation in higher plants: molecular, biochemical and physiological aspects. Paul Haupt Publishers, Berne, Stuttgart,Vienna, pp. 297-298.
Conference Proceedings
Hell, R.; Berkowitz, O.; Enneking, D.; Hillebrand, H.; Jost, R.; Kronberg, K.; Krüger, C.; Schmiedeberg, L., and Wirtz, M. (2003). Macronutrient Metabolism in Crop Plants: Problems and Perspectives. Nardi, S.; Albuzio, A.; Bottacin, A.; Carden, D. E.; Concheri, G.; Ferretti, M.; Ghisi, R.; Malagoli, M., and Masi, A (Eds.) Proceedings of the XX. Convegno Nazionale, So-cietá Italiana di Chimica Agraria. Published in Padova: Universita di Padova, pp. 181-190.
Jost, R., Berkowitz, O., Shaw, J., and Masle, J. (2009). Biochemical characterization of two wheat phosphoethanolamine N-methyltransferase isoforms with different sensitivities to inhibition by phosphatidic acid. J Biol Chem., in press
Berkowitz, O., Jost, R., Pollmann, S., and Masle, J. (2008). Characterization of TCTP, the translationally controlled tumor protein, from Arabidopsis thaliana. Plant Cell 20, 3430-3447.
Jost, R., Berkowitz, O., Masle, J (2007) Magnetic qRT-PCR: A high-throughput method for mRNA extraction and qRT-PCR from plant tissue. Biotechniques 43, 206-211.
Pollmann, S., Neu, D., Lehmann, T., Berkowitz, O., Schafer, T., and Weiler, E.W. (2006). Sub-cellular localization and tissue specific expression of amidase 1 from Arabidopsis thaliana. Planta 224, 1241-1253.
Kawashima, C.G., Berkowitz, O., Hell, R., Noji, M. and Saito, K. (2005) Characterization and expression analysis of a serine acetyltransferase gene family involved in a key step of the sulfur assimilation pathway in Arabidopsis. Plant Physiol, 137, 220-230.
Berkowitz, O., Wirtz, M., Wolf, A., Kuhlmann, J. and Hell, R. (2002) Use of biomolecular interaction analysis to elucidate the regulatory mechanism of the cysteine synthase complex from
Arabidopsis thaliana. J Biol Chem, 277, 30629-34.
Kruger, C., Berkowitz, O., Stephan, U.W. and Hell, R. (2002) A Metal-binding Member of the Late Embryogenesis Abundant Protein Family Transports Iron in the Phloem of Ricinus communis L. J Biol Chem, 277, 25062-9.
Hell, R., Jost, R., Berkowitz, O. and Wirtz, M. (2002) Molecular and biochemical analysis of the enzymes of cysteine biosynthesis in the plant Arabidopsis thaliana. Amino Acids, 22, 245-257.
Wirtz, M., Berkowitz, O., Droux, M. and Hell, R. (2001) The cysteine synthase complex from plants. Mitochondrial serine acetyltransferase from Arabidopsis thaliana carries a bifunctional domain for catalysis and protein-protein interaction. Eur J Biochem, 268, 686-93.
Jost, R., Berkowitz, O., Wirtz, M., Hopkins, L., Hawkesford, M.J. and Hell, R. (2000) Genomic and functional characterization of the oas gene family encoding O-acetylserine (thiol) lyases, enzymes catalyzing the final step in cysteine biosynthesis in Arabidopsis thaliana. Gene, 253, 237-47.
Book Chapters
Berkowitz, O., Wirtz, M., Wolf, A., Kuhlmann, J. and Hell, R. (2003) Application of the BIAcore Technology for the Analysis of the Protein Interactions within the Cysteine Synthase Complex. In: Davidian J-C, Grill D, De Kok LJ, Stulen I, Hawkesford MJ, Schnug E, Rennenberg H, (eds.), Sulfur Transport and Assimilation: Regulation, Interaction and Signaling. Backhuys Publishers, Leiden, The Netherlands
Hell, R., Jost, R., Berkowitz, O., Nebe, G. and Wirtz, M. (2000) Cellular biology and molecular regulation of primary sulphur metabolism in Arabidopsis thaliana. In: Luit J. De Kok, Dieter Grill, Malcolm J. Hawkesford, Ewald Schnug & Ineke Stulen (eds.), Plant Sulfur Research in Europe, Landbauforschung Völkenrode 218, 51-54.
Wirtz, M., Berkowitz, O. and Hell, R. (2000) Analysis of plant cysteine synthesis in vivo using E. coli as a host. In: Brunold, C., Rennenberg, H., De Kok, L.J., Stulen, I. and Davidian, J.-C. (eds.), Sulfur nutrition and sulfur assimilation in higher plants: molecular, biochemical and physiological aspects. Paul Haupt Publishers, Berne, Stuttgart,Vienna, pp. 297-298.
Conference Proceedings
Hell, R.; Berkowitz, O.; Enneking, D.; Hillebrand, H.; Jost, R.; Kronberg, K.; Krüger, C.; Schmiedeberg, L., and Wirtz, M. (2003). Macronutrient Metabolism in Crop Plants: Problems and Perspectives. Nardi, S.; Albuzio, A.; Bottacin, A.; Carden, D. E.; Concheri, G.; Ferretti, M.; Ghisi, R.; Malagoli, M., and Masi, A (Eds.) Proceedings of the XX. Convegno Nazionale, So-cietá Italiana di Chimica Agraria. Published in Padova: Universita di Padova, pp. 181-190.
Languages
- German
- English
- basic French
- English
- basic French
Memberships
American Society of Plant Biologists
Australian Society of Plant Scientists
Australian Society of Plant Scientists
Useful links
Centre for Phytophthora Science and Management (http://www.cpsm.murdoch.edu.au/)
TAIR (http://www.arabidopsis.org)
Oomycete genomic database (http://www.oomycete.org/)
Oomycete Molecular Genetics Network (http://pmgn.vbi.vt.edu/)
TAIR (http://www.arabidopsis.org)
Oomycete genomic database (http://www.oomycete.org/)
Oomycete Molecular Genetics Network (http://pmgn.vbi.vt.edu/)
Current projects
ARC Linkage Project: "Susceptibility to Phytophthora cinnamomi and sensitivity to phosphorus in Australian plants: why are they linked?"
In this project (involving scientists from UWA, Murdoch University and industry partners) I try to elucidate how phosphite (a phosphate analog) protects plants from the oomycete pathogen Phytophthora cinnamomi ("dieback disease"). Dieback disease has devastating effects on native Australian ecosystems. Other Phytophthora species such as P. infestans and P. sojae have major impact on agriculture, e.g. leading to potato blight disease which caused the Irish famine in 1845. Molecular mechanisms are analysed in a pathosystem using the model plant Arabidopsis thaliana.
In this project (involving scientists from UWA, Murdoch University and industry partners) I try to elucidate how phosphite (a phosphate analog) protects plants from the oomycete pathogen Phytophthora cinnamomi ("dieback disease"). Dieback disease has devastating effects on native Australian ecosystems. Other Phytophthora species such as P. infestans and P. sojae have major impact on agriculture, e.g. leading to potato blight disease which caused the Irish famine in 1845. Molecular mechanisms are analysed in a pathosystem using the model plant Arabidopsis thaliana.
Research profile
