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GREGOR MENDEL INSTITUTEOF MOLECULAR PLANT BIOLOGY

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The

GMI – Gregor Mendel Instituteof Molecular Plant Biology GmbHDr. Bohr-Gasse 3

1030 Vienna, Austria

T: +43 1 79044-9000

F: +43 1 79044-9001

http://www.gmi.oeaw.ac.at

Concept: Maria Siomos & Dieter Schweizer

Editor: Maria Siomos

Graphic design: Atelier Blazejovsky

GMI logo: Lo Breier

Printing house: Bösmüller

© Gregor Mendel Institute of Molecular Plant Biology, 2007

MG I

The GMI is a basic research institute of the

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Contents

2 A note from the Founding Director3 Structure of the GMI4 Introducing the GMI6 Research Groups at the GMI8 Why Plant Research?9 Our Model Organism Arabidopsis thaliana

10 Research at the GMI1 8 Serving Research at the GMI20 The CEE Plant Sciences Program2 1 Vienna Biocenter International PhD Program22 The Vienna Biocenter Campus24 The GMI’s Premises at the Vienna Biocenter Campus26 Gregor Mendel: His Vienna Connection27 The Mendel Museum Museum of Genetics in Brno28 The Austrian Academy of Sciences

gmimagines

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A NOTE FROM THE FOUNDING DIRECTOR

his image brochure, the first produced by the Gregor Mendel Institute of Molecular

Plant Biology (GMI), aims at relating the institute’s research and other activities to

a broader audience than is possible through our regular scientific reports.

The GMI came into being in 2000. An international scientific advisory committee,

set up by the Austrian Academy of Sciences, recommended that a basic plant research

institute, the first of its kind in Austria, be established at the Vienna Biocenter

Campus. The first GMI research groups began their work in 2003/04 at several temporary

locations throughout Vienna before moving, at the beginning of 2006, into new purpose-

built premises with state-of-the-art facilities in the Austrian Academy of Sciences Life

Sciences Center Vienna designed by the illustrious architect Boris Podrecca. To mark

this occasion, we held an immensely successful international Opening Symposium in

September 2006.

The GMI is still a young institute, which has been growing steadily as our budget

increases. Full capacity should be reached by 2010, with additional research groups being

established. Our short history has been one of success, with research at the GMI moving

from strength to strength. The results of our curiosity-driven basic research are published

in peer-reviewed, international journals, and where appropriate patent applications are

submitted. GMI scientists are also involved in national (e.g. the Austrian government’s

genome research initiative GEN-AU) and international collaborative projects (e.g. the EU

Epigenome Network of Excellence) with other academic institutions.

Research at the GMI relies to a great extent on public funding, our major funding

sources being primarily the Austrian Academy of Sciences, the Austrian Science Fund

(FWF) and the European Union. The City of Vienna provided start-up funds. In the future,

the GMI aims to gain additional income by undertaking contract research for industrial

partners and through licensing agreements. To this end, the publication of this image

brochure represents a first step to increasing the public awareness of our work and also to

attracting non-academic cooperation partners.

I trust that you will find this image brochure both interesting and informative, and

hope that your curiosity will be evoked to follow the exciting development of this new

plant research institute of the Austrian Academy of Sciences in the years ahead.

Dieter Schweizer

Vienna, September 2007

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he Gregor Mendel Institute, which is owned by the Austrian Academy of Sciences,

has three levels of independent research units: (1) major research groups headed by

a Senior Scientist, (2) smaller research groups headed by a Junior Principal Investigator and

(3) groups headed by a Young Investigator. Senior Scientists have long-term contracts, while

Junior Principal Investigators and Young Investigators have contracts of eight (5+3) and

five years, respectively. This career structure guarantees both continuity as well as change

and renewal. Research groups are evaluated annually by an international Scientific Advisory

Board. The GMI’s research activities are supported by the GMI's Administration

& Services, which include a Science Support Unit as well as services shared with the

neighbouring institutes, Research Institute of Molecular Pathology (IMP) and Institute of

Molecular Biotechnology (IMBA).

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STRUCTURE OF THE GMI

Austrian Academy of Sciences

General Assembly

Scientific Advisory Board

Administrative Director Scientific Director

Independent Research Groups

OutsourcedServices

Accountingand

Controlling

LabManagement& Services

ScienceSupport Unit

Administration & Services

Economic Supervisory Board

SeniorGroups

Junior PrincipalInvestigator

Groups

YoungInvestigator

Groups

Director's Group Group Asince 2006

Group Asince 2005

Group Asince 2004

Group Bsince 2006

Group Bsince 2005

Group Bsince 2004

Group Cplanned 2008

Group Csince 2005

tenure 5+3 years 5 years

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he Gregor Mendel Institute of Molecular Plant Biology (GMI) was founded by the

Austrian Academy of Sciences in 2000 in the form of a limited company (GmbH) to

promote research excellence within the field of plant molecular biology. It is the only

international centre for basic plant research in Austria. The GMI is located at the Vienna

Biocenter Campus within purpose-built premises in the Austrian Academy of Sciences

Life Sciences Center Vienna, completed in January 2006. The Vienna Biocenter Campus,

which encompasses both independent and academic research institutes as well as

biotechnology companies, provides an ideal environment for the GMI. Neighbouring

institutes include the Research Institute of Molecular Pathology (IMP), the Institute of

Molecular Biotechnology (IMBA) of the Austrian Academy of Sciences, as well as the Max

F. Perutz Laboratories of the University of Vienna and of the Medical University of Vienna.

Research at the GMI is curiosity driven and currently focuses on the genetic and

epigenetic plasticity of the plant genome in the contexts of gene regulation, chromosome

biology and development. GMI scientists also study the nature and crosstalk of plant

signal transduction pathways in response to intrinsic and environmental stimuli at both

the genetic and epigenetic levels. Arabidopsis thaliana is used as the primary model

organism. All discoveries made are screened for patentability before publication. Research

groups are evaluated annually by an international Scientific Advisory Board.

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The Gregor Mendel Institute is housed in purpose-builtpremises in the Austrian Academy of Sciences Life Sciences CenterVienna that opened in January 2006

GMI Opening Symposium,29th-30th September 2006

INTRODUCING THE GMI

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GMI running budget including external funding

Mill

ion

€

Year

Year

Year

No.

of

rese

arch

gro

ups

No.

of

empl

oyee

s

GMI research groups

GMI employees

Figures from 2007 onwards are predictions

FACTS & FIGURES

Year established: 2000Location: Austrian Academy of Sciences Life Sciences

Center Vienna, Vienna Biocenter CampusLegal status: Limited Company (GmbH)Owner: Austrian Academy of SciencesOfficial language: EnglishNo. of employees: 60 (from 13 countries)No. of research groups: 8Scientific services: Experimental plant growth facilities, Biooptics,

Media kitchen, Max Perutz Library, IT ServicesSources of external funds: European Union, Austrian Science Fund (FWF),

Vienna Science and Technology Fund (WWTF),Austrian Federal Ministry for Science and Research(BMWF), City of Vienna

2000 2001 2002 2003 2004 2005 2006 2007 2008 2009 2010

2

0

4

6

8

10

2000 2001 2002 2003 2004 2005 2006 2007 2008 2009 2010

2

0

4

6

8

10

2000 2001 2002 2003 2004 2005 2006 2007 2008 2009 2010

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0

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60

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"The Gregor Mendel Institute is an important new voice that strengthensour continuous efforts to give plant science the credit it deserves within thebroader field of biological sciences"

Prof. Ulrich WobusDirector of the Leibniz Institute of Plant Genetics and Crop Plant Research (IPK)

Gatersleben, Germany

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RESEARCH GROUPS AT THE GMI

Werner AufsatzOur research focuses on the function of Arabidopsis Rpd3-type histone deacetylases

(HDACs). Using genetic, biochemical and molecular approaches, we study the role of

HDACs in homology-dependent gene silencing initiated by double-stranded RNA and

in regulatory processes resulting in stress adaptation.

Thomas GrebOur group uses vascular tissue development in Arabidopsis as an example for cell

specification and tissue formation in higher organisms. We seek to understand the

molecular mechanisms regulating the establishment and maintenance of a specific

gene expression profile in this particular cell type.

Claudia JonakPlants are exposed to changing intrinsic and environmental stimuli that modulate

their growth and development. Environmental cues are mediated by integrated signal

transduction systems to coordinate physiological responses. We study the connectivity

between stress signal transduction and physiological responses.

Marjori Matzke & Antonius MatzkeEpigenetic regulation affects numerous processes in plants and other eukaryotic

organisms. Work in our lab focuses on the molecular machinery of RNA-mediated

transcriptional gene silencing, endogenous pararetroviruses in the context of genome

evolution, and interphase chromosome organisation in Arabidopsis.

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Ortrun Mittelsten ScheidPolyploidisation, the multiplication of whole chromosome complements, is associated

with epigenetic changes, that is heritable alterations in gene expression levels. Our lab

studies the molecular mechanism underlying polyploidy-associated gene silencing in

the model plant Arabidopsis.

Karel RihaWe use Arabidopsis to investigate the molecular mechanisms involved in various

aspects of chromosome metabolism. Our two main interests are the function of DNA

repair proteins in telomere maintenance, especially the Ku70/Ku80 heterodimer, and

secondly progression through meiosis.

Dieter SchweizerMeiosis in higher plants occurs in the diploid sporophyte resulting in the formation

of haploid spores. Our group studies the early prophase of meiosis I, especially the

role of DNA repair proteins in conjunction with homologous recombination. We are

also interested in various aspects of chromosome evolution.

Hisashi TamaruOur research aims at exploring the chromatin reshaping that occurs during the

asymmetric mitotic division in maturing pollen, which results in somatic- and

germ-line nuclear development. We use genetic and cytological approaches in

Arabidopsis to identify components controlling this process.

"What is true for peas isalso true for people"

Prof. David BaulcombeThe Sainsbury Laboratory, John Innes Centre

Norwich, UK

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WHY PLANT RESEARCH?

Plants are the basis of our life on earthPlants, unlike animals and fungi, are able to harness the sun's energy through the process

of photosynthesis, are the primary producers of biomass and are the ultimate source of

all our food. Maintaining a sustainable food supply with sufficient nutritional value for

an ever increasing world population will be a major challenge of the 21st century. Plant

research could also lead to the development of plant-based renewable energy sources,

the production of biomolecules such as vaccines and antibodies in plants, and to new

diagnostic and therapeutic approaches to human disease. Basic curiosity-driven research

such as that undertaken at the Gregor Mendel Institute in combination with technology

transfer lies at the base of all these applications. All discoveries at the GMI are screened

for patentability and patent applications have already been successfully submitted.

The importance of plants in the history of basic researchPlants have played a pioneering role throughout the history of biological research. Plant

breeding experiments conducted by the Augustinian friar Gregor Mendel (1822-1884)

unravelled the basic mechanisms of inheritance. In the 1940s, cytogenetic work with

maize by Barbara McClintock (1902-1992) resulted in the discovery of ‘mobile genetic

elements’, now known as transposons for which she was awarded the Nobel Prize in

Physiology or Medicine in 1983. More recently, molecular plant biology has played a crucial

role in the study of epigenetic phenomena and led to the discovery of the epigenetic

mechanisms transgene-mediated gene silencing and RNA interference (RNAi). The 2006

Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine was awarded for the discovery of RNAi in animals.

The advent of RNAi has had far-reaching implications including opening new therapeutic

avenues for the treatment of human disease.

increases our knowledgeand understanding of the

natural world

sustainable food supply/biofortified food

translational research

tools for diagnosis andtherapy of diseases

renewableenergy sources

basic curiosity-drivenplant research

molecular farminge.g. production of vaccines

or antibodies in plants

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OUR MODEL ORGANISM

Arabidopsis thaliana

rabidopsis thaliana is the major plant model organism used at the Gregor Mendel

Institute. It is commonly known as wall cress or mouse-ear cress and was

discovered by Johannes Thal (hence, thaliana) in the Harz mountains in Germany in

the 16th century. It is a small flowering plant that is a member of the mustard

(Brassicaceae) family, which includes cultivated species such as cabbage and radish.

Although Arabidopsis is not of agronomic or economic significance, its properties make

it ideally suited for basic research in genetics and molecular biology, and it therefore serves

internationally as the primary model plant system. The properties of Arabidopsis that make

it an attractive model plant system include its small genome size, short life cycle,

prolific seed production, easy cultivation in a restricted space, efficient transformation

methods, the existence of a large number of mutant lines available from stock centres

and genomic resources. The Arabidopsis genome was the first plant genome to be sequenced

and its sequence was completed in the year 2000.

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Development of Arabidopsis from seedto flowering plant

A running experiment withArabidopsis plants

Category: flowering plant, inbreeding, annualLife cycle: 6 weeksNo. of chromosomes: 10 (diploid number), genetically & physically mappedGenome size: ~150 MbNo. of genes: ~25500Genome sequence: completed in 2000 (first plant genome sequence)

ARABIDOPSIS FACT SHEET

"You're working on a cellular processin plant cells and it turns out that there'sa connection to human disease"

Prof. Steven HenikoffFred Hutchison Cancer Research Center

Seattle, USA

What is epigenetics?Epigenetics is a vibrant and exciting field in which heritable changes in organisms and

cells that do not involve changes in the DNA sequence are studied. It is now known that

it is not only the sequence of the DNA that determines the heritable traits of organisms

and cells but also epigenetic changes, which include chemical modifications of both

DNA and of histone proteins around which DNA is wound. Epigenetic gene silencing, for

example, ensures that only those genes that are needed in a particular cell at a particular

developmental stage are active, and is thus essential for plant and animal development.

It is also necessary for packaging chromosomes in the cell nucleus and as a defence

mechanism against genome invaders such as viruses. Arabidopsis thaliana is ideally

suited to epigenetic research as it is highly amenable to both genetic and genomics

approaches. Because plants and mammals share many features of epigenetic control, the

results obtained with Arabidopsis are relevant for humans and may eventually be adapted

for therapeutic applications. At the Gregor Mendel Institute, the research groups of

Werner Aufsatz, Marjori & Antonius Matzke, Ortrun Mittelsten Scheid and Hisashi Tamaru

study various epigenetic phenomena. Several other groups at the Vienna Biocenter Campus

also study epigenetic phenomena and there are a number of ongoing collaborations.

Epigenetic gene silencing in Arabidopsis:lessons for human cancerOver the past few years, it has become clear that epigenetic effects are involved in cancer

initiation and progression. In human cancers, tumour suppressor genes that protect cells

from becoming cancerous are inappropriately switched off by epigenetic gene silencing.

This silencing is due to methylation of DNA as well as to chemical modifications of histone

proteins such as acetylation, methylation and phosphorylation. While the sequence of

events that leads to epigenetic gene silencing in human cancer cells is poorly understood,

insight into this process has been and continues to be gained from research on epigenetic

gene silencing in Arabidopsis. The Matzke lab studies a particular type of epigenetic gene

silencing known as RNA-directed DNA methylation. The Aufsatz lab studies the role of

an Arabidopsis histone deacetylase protein called AtHDA6 in epigenetic gene silencing.

The Mittelsten Scheid lab studies how the activity of genes is controlled in plants with

more than the normal complement of chromosomes.

A

B

(A) An Arabidopsis seedlingshowing green fluorescence in thehypocotyl and root tip meristemdue to the expression of the greenfluorescent protein gene.(B) Epigenetic silencing of thegreen fluorescent protein geneby small complementary RNAmolecules abolishes greenfluorescence. The cotyledons(seedling leaves) appear red fromautofluorescence.

RESEARCH AT THE GMI

EPIGENETICS

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Epigenome Network of ExcellenceTwo group leaders from the Gregor Mendel Institute (Marjori Matzke and Ortrun

Mittelsten Scheid) are members of the Epigenome Network of Excellence (2004-2009),

a European Union Network of Excellence awarded €12.5 million in the 6th framework

programme. The goals of the network, which includes 82 members from 10 different

European countries, include advancing scientific discoveries in the field of epigenetics

via a joint research programme and maintaining European epigenetic research as a

world-leading force.

"Plant biologists are at the forefrontof epigenetics research"

Dr. Werner AufsatzGMI Group leader

from Salzburg, Austria

Transporting nutrients and other molecules around plantsLarge multicellular organisms such as animals and plants require long-range transport

systems for transporting nutrients and other molecules around the organism. In animals,

it is the veins, arteries and capillaries of the vascular system that fulfil this function. Plants

have two types of vascular tissues, namely xylem for the transport of water and nutrients,

and phloem for the transport of sugars, proteins, RNA and other signalling molecules.

These vascular tissues pervade every organ of the plant and pass through the stem, the

main 'highway' of the plant, that connects the roots to the leaves. The stem also provides

physical support to the plant, and the formation of secondary vascular tissue at the periphery

of the stem is the basis of wood formation in many plant species. The Greb lab is studying

how the vascular tissue develops in plants using Arabidopsis thaliana as a model system.

As the cells of the plant vascular system are highly specialised, they provide an ideal

system for studying cellular differentiation. Furthermore, understanding the molecular

processes that regulate vascular development could, in the future, allow the physical

properties of wood to be modified for particular purposes, thus optimising the use of

natural resources

The vascular pattern in an Arabidopsisleaf visualised by expressing theluminescent protein luciferase fromthe fire-fly in the vascular system.The photo was taken under lowlight conditions.

The plant vascular systempervades every organ of anArabidopsis seedling

RESEARCH AT THE GMI

CELL AND DEVELOPMENTAL BIOLOGY

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"Basic developmental principles are sharedbetween plants and animals"

Dr. Hisashi TamaruGMI Group leader

from Kitami, Japan

Meiosis in plants is the specialisedform of cell division that occurs in thediploid sporophyte resulting in theformation of haploid spores (sporogenesis).During pollen maturation, each haploidspore (microspore) undergoes two mitoticcell divisions, the first of which isasymmetric, to form two sperm cells(gametogenesis) and a vegetative cellthat serves for pollen tube elongation.

Meiosis: the path to sperm and egg cellsIn sexually-reproducing organisms, including animals and many plant species, sperm and

egg cells containing half the number of chromosomes of all other cells must be

generated so that when the gametes fuse at fertilisation a new organism with the correct

number of chromosomes can develop. A specialised form of cell division called meiosis is

responsible for halving the chromosome number in gametes. Errors in meiosis can lead

to genetic diseases such as Down Syndrome, are a major cause of spontaneous

miscarriage and could lead to infertility. The Riha lab is studying the function of proteins

whose absence causes errors in chromosome segregation and cell cycle progression in

meiosis in Arabidopsis. As these proteins also exist in humans, this research is of relevance

to the study of meiosis in humans. The Tamaru lab studies the epigenetic control of

asymmetric cell division in pollen and has discovered that sperm and vegetative nuclei

in pollen have different chromatin states.

Sporogenesis

haploid spores

spermnuclei

vegetativenucleus

microspore

Asymmetriccell division

Meiosis

Gametogenesis

Plants are exposed to stressPlants are constantly exposed to environmental stresses, such as extreme temperature,

high soil salinity and drought that threaten their growth and development, and as a

consequence sustainable agricultural production. Due to climatic changes, such as global

warming, it is a challenge to understand how plants, having a sessile lifestyle, cope with

and adapt to a changing environment. Plants have evolved sophisticated mechanisms to

respond to abiotic stress factors. They are able to perceive environmental cues and to

react accordingly by delicately coordinating diverse physiological responses. Signalling

systems called integrated signal transduction systems mediate the perception of such

environmental cues. To gain insight into the fine tuning of this coordination web,

the research group of Claudia Jonak studies the relationship between stress signal

transduction and physiological responses.OzoneExtreme

temperatures

Flooding

Drought

Salt

Heavymetals

Stressrecognition

Signaltransduction

DNAmRNA

Protein

Altered cellularmetabolism

Physiologicalresponses

RESEARCH AT THE GMI

SIGNAL TRANSDUCTION PATHWAYSAND STRESS RESPONSE

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"Plants must respond to local and global climatic changes"Dr. Claudia JonakGMI Group leader

from Vienna, Austria

Coping with salt stressAccording to the FAO and UNESCO, 20% of cultivated land worldwide is impaired by high

soil salinity, and due to global environmental changes and the irrigation techniques currently

used, the area of endangered land is steadily increasing. Salinity is detrimental to plant growth.

Plants have, however, developed different strategies to cope with salinity. Research in the

Jonak lab has led to the discovery that a plant protein called MsK4 is involved in protecting

plants from salt stress. Plants that produce a larger amount of MsK4 than normal are more

tolerant of salt stress. MsK4 seems to work by adjusting carbohydrate metabolism in response

to environmental stress.

Arabidopsis plants with normallevels of MsK4

Plant growth under conditions of high soil salinity

Arabidopsis plants with increasedlevels of MsK4

Prestigious GEN-AU funding for plant stress researchFour research groups at the Gregor Mendel Institute (Aufsatz, Jonak, Mittelsten Scheid, Riha)

are involved in a collaborative project with partners at the University of Vienna and the

University of Natural Resources and Applied Life Sciences in Vienna entitled ‘Lasting effects

of abiotic stress in plant genomes and their potential for breeding strategies’. This project,

which began in 2006 and will run until 2009, is one of eight projects to be funded Austria-wide

by the Austrian government’s research initiative GENome Research in AUstria (GEN-AU).

Together, this internationally renowned group of scientists will examine how plants react

to environmental stress conditions at both genetic and epigenetic levels. The results of this

research could in the future be exploited for plant breeding programmes.

High salinity and dry conditions in the Desert of Namib, Sossusvlei, Namibia

Telomeres: a link between ageing and cancerEvery time a cell divides to form daughter cells, all of the cell’s chromosomes are

replicated and equally distributed to the daughter cells. Due to the cell’s mechanism of

replicating chromosomes, it is not possible to replicate the very ends of chromosomes,

which means that at each cell division chromosomes become shorter (50-100 base pairs

in human cells). In order that essential genetic information is not lost every time a cell

divides, chromosome ends do not contain genes but consist of long repeats of short DNA

sequences called telomeres (TTTAGGG in Arabidopsis, TTAGGG in humans). Once telomeres

reach a certain minimum length (after on average 60-70 cell divisions in humans), cells

undergo replicative senescence meaning that they can no longer divide to form new cells.

Telomere shortening is, therefore, thought to be involved in the ageing process. In cancer

cells, which divide inappropriately and are immortal, an enzyme called telomerase that

can lengthen telomeres becomes active. Telomeres also have a second function, which is

to protect the ends of chromosomes from being recognised as DNA damage. As the ends

of chromosomes have a similar structure to broken chromosomes, without telomeres,

chromosome ends could be ‘repaired’ by fusing them to other chromosome ends which

would be deleterious for the cell. The Riha lab studies telomere structure and

mechanisms of chromosome end protection. They have found that Arabidopsis cells with

aberrant telomere structures can excise large regions of telomeric repeats in a single step,

forming extrachromosomal circular DNA molecules, and have developed a technique for

detecting such extrachromosomal t-circles in Arabidopsis that could be used as a

potential diagnostic tool for human cancer. The Schweizer lab studies the evolution of

telomere sequences in plants as compared to vertebrates.

telomeraseenzyme inactiveand telomeresbecome shorter

at every celldivision

senescent cells(ageing)

telomeraseenzyme activeand telomeresare maintained

immortal cells(cancer)

telomere telomere

The telomeres (pink) ofchromosomes (blue) protectchromosome ends

The telomere hypothesis of ageing and cancer

RESEARCH AT THE GMI

CHROMOSOME BIOLOGY

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"Our Arabidopsis telomere research at the GMI has led toa potential diagnostic tool for human cancer"

Dr. Karel RihaGMI Group leader

from Brno, Czech Republic

Chromosome organisation and dynamics in the nucleusThe organisation of chromosomes in the cell nucleus is believed to be important for

regulating gene expression and nuclear function. Advances in fluorescence microscopy

and live cell imaging are revolutionising our ability to monitor 3D chromosome disposition

and movement in living plants. To do this in Arabidopsis, the Matzke lab has developed

16 plant lines in which distinct chromosomal sites are labelled with fluorescent tags,

which can be viewed in the nuclei of living plants. They have investigated a number of

features such as the distance between genes both on the same and different chromosomes.

These plant lines can be used to study chromosome organisation and dynamics in

different cell types, developmental stages and environmental conditions.

Fluorescently-tagged chromosomesin living Arabidopsis root cells.(A) and (B) show top and side views,respectively.

A

B

A telomerebiology experimentwith Arabidopsis

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SERVING RESEARCH AT THE GMI

Experimental Plant Growth FacilitiesThe experimental plant growth facilities encompass plant growth chambers in which

temperature, humidity and day length can be controlled, as well as experimental glasshouse

facilities, both tended to by a specially trained gardener.

Plants growingin the experimentalglasshouse facilities

Arabidopsis plantsgrowing in astate-of-the-artgrowth chamber

Arabidopsis plantsgrowing in astate-of-the-artgrowth chamber

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"Cutting edge research requires state-of-the-art services"Dr. Vera Schoft

GMI Postdoctoral fellowfrom Bamberg, Germany

BioopticsThe GMI has a wide range of state-of-the-art microscopes for cytology.

Media KitchenThe media kitchen supplies media for experiments in the GMI.

Max Perutz LibraryThe Max Perutz Library provides access to scientific journals and books

(both print and online) as well as to online databases. It has subscriptions

to over 2000 journals.

IT ServicesThe IT Services maintain all central computer services and provide support

for both Macintosh and PC computers.

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THE CEE PLANT SCIENCES PROGRAM

o complement the Gregor Mendel Institute’s numerous collaborations in Austria,

Belgium, Denmark, Finland, France, Germany, Japan, the Netherlands, Singapore,

Switzerland, the UK and the USA, the institute has set up a new initiative called the

CEE Plant Sciences Program to establish close collaborations between countries of

Central and Eastern Europe in the field of Plant Sciences. This program involves

student exchanges and regular meetings between members of participating institutions.

Collaborations have already been established with research groups in the cities marked.

U K R A I N E

C Z E C HR E P U B L I C

S L O V A K I A

C R O A T I A

B O S N I Aa n d

H E R Z E G O V I N AS E R B I A

A L B A N I A

M O N T E N E G R O

R E P U B L I Co f

M O L D O V A

R O M A N I A

B U L G A R I A

FORMERYUGOSLAV REPUBLIC

of MACEDONIA

S L O V E N I A

H U N G A R YA U S T R I A

P O L A N D

L I T H U A N I A

L A T V I A

E S T O N I A

Kiev

Krakow

Poznan Warsaw

PragueBrno

Vienna

Zagreb

Bratislava

Katowice

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Jan Vrbsky, a visitingPhD student from MasarykUniversity in Brno,Czech Republic

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”A unique opportunity to workat a prestigious institute”

Branislava RakicGMI PhD student

from Belgrade, Serbia

VIENNA BIOCENTER

INTERNATIONAL PHD PROGRAM

he Gregor Mendel Institute offers PhD positions within the framework of the

prestigious Vienna Biocenter International PhD Program. PhD students are enrolled

at the University of Vienna and receive their PhD degree from the university. Students

are selected twice yearly among highly qualified applicants from all over the world and

are given the opportunity to undertake research at the cutting edge of modern biology.

Emphasis is placed on academic and technical excellence. PhD salaries are offered at

an internationally competitive level for up to 4 years. The official language of the PhD

Program is English. The Institute of Molecular Biotechnology (IMBA) of the Austrian

Academy of Sciences, the Research Institute of Molecular Pathology (IMP), and the Max

F. Perutz Laboratories (MFPL) also participate in the PhD Program. For detailed information

about the PhD Program and application procedure, please consult the PhD Program's

website: http://www.univie.ac.at/vbc/PhD/

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THE VIENNA BIOCENTER CAMPUS

he Gregor Mendel Institute is located in purpose-built premises within the Austrian

Academy of Sciences Life Sciences Center Vienna at the Vienna Biocenter Campus,

a few minutes tram ride away from Vienna’s city centre. Built on the former site of the

Vienna slaughterhouse, the Vienna Biocenter Campus is rapidly expanding and aims to

become an international centre of excellence in the biosciences. Besides the Gregor Mendel

Institute, the Institute of Molecular Biotechnology (IMBA) of the Austrian Academy

of Sciences, the Research Institute of Molecular Pathology (IMP) funded by Boehringer

Ingelheim, and the Max F. Perutz Laboratories (MFPL) of the University of Vienna and the

Medical University of Vienna are located at the campus. In addition, there are a number

of biotechnology companies (Intercell, Affiris, Bender MedSystems, Biovertis, Genosense,

Axon) and an advanced technical college for biotechnology (FH Campus Vienna). A new

Intercell building (VBC3) designed by Boris Podrecca is already under construction by

Prisma Vienna and an additional building (VBC4) is planned.

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Institutes at theVienna Biocenter Campus.Top right: Austrian Academy ofSciences Life Sciences CenterVienna (GMI, IMBA);Top left: Research Institute ofMolecular Pathology (IMP);Middle left: VBC2;Bottom left: Max F. PerutzLaboratories (MFPL).

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A: Research Institute of Molecular Pathology (IMP)

B: Max F. Perutz Laboratories (MFPL) (VBC1)

C: University Car Park

D: MFPL, Affiris, Bender MedSystems, FH Campus Vienna, Intercell (VBC2)

E: Austrian Academy of Sciences Life Sciences Center Vienna (GMI, IMBA)

F: Intercell, Biovertis, Genosense, Axon (VBC6)

G: Intercell (under construction) (VBC3)

H: Reserved for campus extension (VBC4)

I: Reserved for future biotech companies

J: BIG Square

Impression of the Vienna Biocenter Campus by Boris Podrecca

MFPL IMP VBC2

VBC4

VBC3

lecture hall

JD

E

A B

CF

GH

I

GMI and IMBA

campus court

”The GMI is a rare example of an institute devoted to plant research that shares acommon interest in basic epigenetic mechanisms with IMBA and IMP, and is located onthe same campus. This arrangement is found in very few other institutes around the worldand will lead to innovative research in both plant and biomedical sciences.“

Prof. Rob MartienssenCold Spring Harbor Laboratory

Cold Spring Harbor, USA

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THE GMI’S PREMISES AT THE VIENNA BIOCENTER CAMPUS

he Gregor Mendel Institute is housed in purpose-built premises within the Austrian

Academy of Sciences Life Sciences Center Vienna, designed by the internationally

renowned architect Boris Podrecca. The Life Sciences Center also houses the Institute

of Molecular Biotechnology (IMBA) of the Austrian Academy of Sciences, some service

units of the Research Institute of Molecular Pathology (IMP), the Christian Doppler

Laboratory for Proteomics Research, the Center for Integrative Bioinformatics Vienna of

the Max F. Perutz Laboratories, the Vienna Open Lab and the public science organisation

dialog<>gentechnik.

"I soon noticed that thetrue artists today are thescientists. Everyone I metwas interested in the artsand had a bohemianlifestyle. One day theywould stay up all nightsitting in front of theircomputer and the nextthey would be off toSingapore. In contrast,artists nowadays live amuch more conventionallife…"

T

Views of the Austrian Academyof Sciences Life Sciences Center

Vienna

Boris Podrecca - architect

of the Austrian Academy of

Sciences Life Sciences Center

Vienna - on his experiences

with scientists:

The GMI has invested €15 million in its premises in the Austrian Academy of Sciences Life Sciences Center Vienna

25

”…the true artists today are the scientists”Architect Prof. Boris Podrecca

Stuttgart Technical University & Vienna

2000

planning phase

construction phase

furbishment

pilot phase

Q1 Q2 Q3 Q4 Q1 Q2 Q3 Q4 Q1 Q2 Q3 Q4 Q1 Q2 Q3 Q4 Q1 Q2 Q3 Q4 Q1 Q2 Q3 Q4 Q1 Q2 Q3 Q4

2001 2002 2003 2004 2005 2006

Building timeline: Austrian Academy of Sciences Life Sciences Center Vienna

From left to right: Prof. Dieter Schweizer (Founding Director of the Gregor Mendel Institute of Molecular Plant Biology), Prof. Boris Podrecca(Architect of the Austrian Academy of Sciences Life Sciences Center Vienna), Hubert Gorbach (then Federal Minister of Transport, Innovationand Technology, Austria), Dr. Sepp Rieder (then Vice-Mayor of Vienna), Prof. Josef Penninger (Director of the Institute of MolecularBiotechnology, Vienna), Dr. Andreas Barner (Member of the Board of Managing Directors and Head of Research, Development and Medicineof Boehringer Ingelheim), Prof. Werner Welzig (then President of the Austrian Academy of Sciences).

Official ground-breaking ceremony – June 2003

26

GREGOR MENDEL: HIS VIENNA CONNECTION

he Gregor Mendel Institute is named after

Gregor Mendel, heralded as the ‘father of

genetics’, who in 1866 published the seminal work

‘Versuche über Pflanzen-Hybriden’ (Experiments

on Plant Hybridisation), in which he formulated the

basic laws of inheritance through experiments with

the garden pea Pisum sativum. Between 1851

and 1853, Mendel studied at the University of

Vienna during which time he attended lectures and

courses held by members of the newly-founded

Imperial Academy of Sciences in Vienna (today the

Austrian Academy of Sciences), including Doppler

(Mathematics & Physics), von Littrow (Astronomy),

Redtenbacher (Chemistry), Fenzl (Botany), Unger

(Botany), von Ettingshausen (Physics) and von

Baumgartner (Physics). Mendel's instruction in

physics, especially from Christian Doppler, greatly

influenced the design of his future experiments

that would lead to the discovery of the laws of

inheritance.

T

Mendel’s registration(3rd semester) at the University

of Vienna in 1853

Members of the Mathematics & Natural Sciences Class of the Austrian Academy of Sciencesin 1853 including Mendel’s professors Doppler, von Littrow, Redtenbacher, Fenzl, Unger, vonEttingshausen and von Baumgartner amongst others

Gregor Mendel(1822-1884)

27

THE MENDEL MUSEUM

MUSEUM OF GENETICS IN BRNO

he Gregor Mendel Institute is an active supporter of the Brno Initiative, which led

to the establishment of the Mendel Center and Mendel Museum at the Augustinian

Abbey in Old Brno, where Gregor Mendel was abbot. This initiative to commemorate Gregor

Mendel’s groundbreaking work on inheritance at the site of his research was started in Vienna

by Kim Nasmyth from the Research Institute of Molecular Pathology (now at the

University of Oxford), his wife Anna Nasmyth, Gustav Ammerer from the University of

Vienna and Dieter Schweizer from the Gregor Mendel Institute/University of Vienna. Both

the Mendel Center and Mendel Museum opened their doors in May 2002 with an inaugural

EMBO conference entitled ‘Genetics after the Genome’ organised by Kim Nasmyth and

Dieter Schweizer. The speakers included the two Nobel prize winners Christiane

Nüsslein-Volhard and Eric Wieschaus, and the leader of the international Human Genome

Project, Eric Lander. The conference was accompanied by the exhibition ‘The Genius of

Genetics’ designed by the London-based agency Artakt, which combined historical items

with works of contemporary artists. Part of this exhibition is currently touring the USA

in the exhibition ‘Gregor Mendel: Planting the Seeds of Genetics’. Since its establishment,

the Mendel Museum has hosted several exhibitions and the Mendel Center has become

a popular international conference destination. An internationally renowned lecture series

called the ‘Mendel Lectures’ is held each year at the Abbey.

T

28

THE AUSTRIAN ACADEMY OF SCIENCES

he Austrian Academy of Sciences (originally the Imperial Academy of Sciences in

Vienna) was founded in 1847 to promote scientific research and freedom. Its

headquarters are located in Vienna’s city centre in the former assembly hall of the

University of Vienna built between 1753 and 1755 by the French architect Jean Nicolas

Jadot. The Austrian Academy of Sciences has two sections, the Section for Mathematics

and Natural Sciences, and the Section for the Humanities and Social Sciences. Today, the

Academy fulfils two main functions. On the one hand, its 90 elected full members and

250 appointed corresponding members form a scholarly society and on the other, it is

Austria’s major supporter of research outwith the university system, funding some 70

research institutions both in the natural sciences and the humanities. The Academy also

organises various events and lecture series, and supports established and young talented

scientists alike through its awards and scholarships programmes.

Funding modern cutting edge researchThe Academy aims to support excellence in cutting edge modern research in all fields

through the establishment of new institutes. The Academy recently set up three life sciences

research institutes in the form of limited companies, namely the Gregor Mendel Institute

of Molecular Plant Biology (GMI), the Institute of Molecular Biotechnology (IMBA) and

the Research Center for Molecular Medicine (CeMM), and invested €65 million to build

the Austrian Academy of Sciences Life Sciences Center Vienna, which houses both the

GMI and IMBA. Recently established natural sciences institutes include the Institute for

Quantum Optics and Quantum Information (IQOQI) and the Johann Radon Institute for

Computational and Applied Mathematics (RICAM). In 2000, the Austrian Academy of

Sciences’ newly built Research Centre Graz was opened and houses the Space Research

Institute (IWF) and the Institute of Biophysics and Nanosystems Research (IBN).

T

"An organisation that fundsmodern cutting edge researchand young scientists"

Top: Austrian Academy of SciencesLife Sciences Center ViennaBottom: Research Centre Graz

Headquarters of theAustrian Academy of Sciences

31

GMI – Gregor Mendel Instituteof Molecular Plant Biology GmbH

Dr. Bohr-Gasse 3

1030 Vienna, Austria

T: +43 1 79044-9000

F: +43 1 79044-9001

http://www.gmi.oeaw.ac.at

Photos: Stepan Bartos (p. 27, right),

Brigitte Goederle (p. 22, middle left),

Georg Lemburgh (p. 22, top left),

Anna Nasmyth, Claudia Schweizer,

Klemens Wolf, Gerald Zugmann (p. 22, top right)

and from GMI: Marc Berlinger, Claudia Jonak,

Ortrun Mittelsten Scheid, Jan Vrbsky

The GMI is a basic research institute of the

MG I