Zander Lab
Research Overview
The anticipated future of Climate Change is predicted to coincide with more frequent and severe episodes of abiotic stress and expansion of the geographic range of numerous pathogens, causing massive crop yield losses across the globe. Especially the deciphering of molecular mechanisms underlying plant responses to increased temperatures is thus critically needed to breed more stress-tolerant crop plants ultimately ensuring our food security in the future. A key regulatory process of stress pathways is the interaction between master transcriptions factors and the epigenome (all chemical modifications of DNA and histone proteins.) that lay the transcriptional foundation for a robust stress response. Despite their agronomic importance, spatial information about the genome-wide actions of master TFs and their interactions with the epigenome are diluted and obscured in existing datasets due to bulk measurements. This dilution of important biological information is a fundamental problem of biological research.
My research, therefore, focuses on the interplay between master transcription factors and the epigenome in stress responses with a high spatiotemporal resolution using a combination of genomic, genetic, and proteomic tools.
Announcements
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Postdoctoral positions available
We are looking for enthusiastic new team members that are interested in the genomics/genetics-assisted investigation of plant hormone signaling, plant immunity, and/or plant stress responses.
For questions and further details, please email Mark Zander: mzander@waksman.rutgers.edu
Contact Information
Dr. Mark Zander
190 Frelinghuysen Road
Piscataway, NJ 08854
United States
Selected Publications
Complete list of publications: [Google Scholar] [Pubmed]
Phytochrome-interacting factors trigger environmentally responsive chromatin dynamics
Willige B.C.*, Zander M.*, Yoo C. Y., Phan A., Garza R.M., Trigg S.A., He Y., Nery R.J., Chen H., Chen M. Ecker J.R., Chory J., (2021) Phytochrome-interacting factors trigger environmentally responsive chromatin dynamics. Nature Genetics 53, 955–961
Many ways to repress! JAZ’s agony of choices
Zander M. (2021) Many ways to repress! JAZ’s agony of choices. Molecular Plant 14 (5), 714-716
Integrated Multi-omic Framework of the Plant Response to Jasmonic Acid
Zander M.*, Lewsey M.G.*, Clark N.M, Yin L., Bartlett A., Saldierna Guzmán J.P., Hann E., Langford A.E., Jow B., Wise A., Nery J.R., Chen H., Bar-Joseph Z., Walley J.W., Solano., R. Ecker J.R. (2020) Integrated Multi-omic Framework of the Plant Response to Jasmonic Acid. Nature Plants 6 (3), 290-302 *co-first authors
Chimeric activators and repressors define HY5 activity and reveal a light-regulated feedback mechanism.
Burko Y., Seluzicki A., Zander M., Pedmale U., Ecker J.R. Chory J. (2020) Chimeric activators and repressors define HY5 activity and reveal a light-regulated feedback mechanism. Plant Cell 32 (4), 967-983.
The JA-pathway MYC transcription factors regulate photomorphogenic responses by targeting HY5 gene expression
Ortigosa A., Fonseca S., Franco-Zorrilla J., Fernandez Calvo P., Zander M., Lewsey M.G. Garcia-Casado G., Fernandez-Barbero G., Ecker J.R., Solano R. (2020) The JA-pathway MYC transcription factors regulate photomorphogenic responses by targeting HY5 gene expression. The Plant Journal 102 (1), 138-152
Epigenetic silencing of a multifunctional stress regulator
Zander M., Willige B.C., He Y., Nguyen T.A., Langford A.E., Nehring R., Howell E., McGrath R., Bartlett A., Castanon R., Nery J.R., Chen H., Zhang Z., Jupe F., Stepanova A.N., Schmitz R.J, Lewsey M.G., Chory J., Ecker J.R. (2019) Epigenetic silencing of a multifunctional stress regulator. eLIFE 8:e47835
A MYC2/MYC3/MYC4-dependent transcription factor network regulates water spray-responsive gene expression and jasmonate levels
Van Moerkercke A., Duncan O., Zander M., Lama S., Bai Y., Broda M., Lewsey M.G., Vanden Bossche R., Šimura J., Lung K., Goossens A., Ecker J.R., Millar A.H., Van Aken O. (2019) A MYC2/MYC3/MYC4-dependent transcription factor network regulates water spray-responsive gene expression and jasmonate levels. PNAS, 116(46):23345-23356
The complex architecture and epigenomic impact of plant T-DNA insertions
Jupe F.*, Michael T.P.*, Rivkin A.C.*, Zander M.*, Motley S.P., Sandoval J.P., Slotkin R.K., Chen H., Castanon R., Nery J.R., Ecker J.R. (2019) The complex architecture and epigenomic impact of plant T-DNA insertions. PLoS Genetics 15 (1) *co-first authors
Multiple pathways of epigenetic repression support robust neuronal maturation after loss of DNA methylation
Li J., Pinto-Duarte A., Zander M., Lai C.Y., Osteen J., Fang J., Luo C., Lucero J., Gomez-Castanon R., Nery J.R., Silva-Garcia I., Pang Y., Sejnowski T.J., Powell S.B., Ecker J.R., Mukamel E.A., Behrens M.M., (2019) Multiple pathways of epigenetic repression support robust neuronal maturation after loss of DNA methylation. bioRxiv preprint
TGA2 signaling in response to reactive electrophile species is not dependent on cysteine modification of TGA2
Findling S., Stotz H.U., Zoeller M., Krischke M., Zander M., Gatz C., Berger S., Mueller M.J. (2018). TGA2 signaling in response to reactive electrophile species is not dependent on cysteine modification of TGA2. PLoS One 13 (4)
Cryptochromes interact directly with PIFs to control plant growth in limiting blue light
Pedmale U.V., Huang S.S., Zander M., Cole B.J., Hetzel J., Ljung K., Reis P.A., Sridevi P., Nito K., Nery J.R., Ecker J.R., Chory J. (2016). Cryptochromes interact directly with PIFs to control plant growth in limiting blue light. Cell 164 (1-2), 233-45
TGA Transcription Factors Activate the Salicylic Acid-Suppressible Branch of the Ethylene-Induced Defense Program by Regulating ORA59 Expression
Zander M.*, Thurow C.*, Gatz C. (2014). TGA Transcription Factors Activate the Salicylic Acid-Suppressible Branch of the Ethylene-Induced Defense Program by Regulating ORA59 Expression. Plant Physiology 165 (4), 1671-1683 *co-first authors
Arabidopsis basic helix-loop-helix transcription factors MYC2, MYC3, and MYC4 regulate glucosinolate biosynthesis, insect performance, and feeding behavior
Schweizer F., Fernández-Calvo P., Zander M., Diez-Diaz M., Fonseca, S., Glauser G., Lewsey M.G., Ecker J.R., Solano R., Reymond P. (2013). Arabidopsis basic helix-loop-helix transcription factors MYC2, MYC3, and MYC4 regulate glucosinolate biosynthesis, insect performance, and feeding behavior. Plant Cell 25 (8), 3117-3132
Repression of the Arabidopsis thaliana jasmonic acid/ethylene-induced defense pathway by TGA-interacting glutaredoxins depends on their C-terminal ALWL motif.
Zander M.*, Shuxia C.*, Imkampe J., Thurow C., Gatz C. (2012). Repression of the Arabidopsis thaliana jasmonic acid/ethylene-induced defense pathway by TGA-interacting glutaredoxins depends on their C-terminal ALWL motif. Molecular Plant 5 (4), 831-840 *co-first authors
The glutaredoxin ATGRXS13 is required to facilitate Botrytis cinerea infection of Arabidopsis thaliana plants
La Camera S., L’haridon F., Astier J., Zander M., Abou-Mansour E., Page G., Thurow C., Wendehenne D., Gatz C., Metraux J.P., Lamotte O. (2011). The glutaredoxin ATGRXS13 is required to facilitate Botrytis cinerea infection of Arabidopsis thaliana plants. The Plant Journal 68 (3), 507-519
Arabidopsis thaliana class-II TGA transcription factors are essential activators of jasmonic acid/ethylene-induced defense responses
Zander M., La Camera S., Lamotte O., Metraux J.P., Gatz C. (2010). Arabidopsis thaliana class-II TGA transcription factors are essential activators of jasmonic acid/ethylene-induced defense responses. The Plant Journal 61 (2), 200-210
SA-inducible Arabidopsis glutaredoxin interacts with TGA factors and suppresses JA-responsive PDF1.2 transcription
Ndamukong I., Abdallat A.A., Thurow C., Fode B., Zander M., Weigel R., Gatz C. (2007). SA-inducible Arabidopsis glutaredoxin interacts with TGA factors and suppresses JA-responsive PDF1.2 transcription. The Plant Journal 50 (1), 128-139
Current Lab Members
Principal Investigator
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Dr. Mark Zander
Postdoctoral Researchers
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Dr. Aanchal Choudhary
aanchal.choudhary@waksman.rutgers.edu
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Dr. Hyuk Sung Yoon
Graduate Students
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Moonia Ammari
ma2000@scarletmail.rutgers.edu