RA Nilan Professor Department of Crop & Soil Sciences Washington State University Pullman, WA 99164-6420   Phone: 509-335-3635 FAX: 509-335-8674 Email:diter@wsu.edu   Ph.D. University of Tübingen ­ Biology, Biochemistry, 1953 Ph.D. University of Stockholm ­ Genetics, 1953 D.Sc. University of Stockholm ­ Genetics, 1957   RESEARCH INTERESTS: Plant Reproduction.   RESEARCH SUMMARY: The focus of my research is working on genetic transformation of immature zygotic embryos of barley with the aim of producing transgenic plants that express recombinant proteins in the developing endosperm. This has led to a highly productive expression system for value adding microbial enzymes and mammalian proteins with prospective health care functions. We are working on establishing a similar system for wheat and on projects to obtain homozgous transgenic plants by transformation of haploid microspores, that develop somatic embryo's after spontaneous doubling of their chromosomes. In the plant reproduction program I am focusing on epigenetic changes of gene transcription during pollen and endosperm development in cereals.     REPRESENTATIVE PUBLICATIONS: Nirmala, J., R.Brueggeman, C. Maier, C. Clay, N. Rostoks, C. G. Kannangara, D. von Wettstein, B.J. Steffenson & A. Kleinhofs 2006 Subcellular localization and functions of the barley stem rust resistance receptor-like serine/threonine-specific protein kinase RPG1. Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. 103: 7518-7523. Wettstein, D. von 2006 Fascinations with Chloroplasts and Chromosome Pairing. Introductory Review; Progress in Botany Vol. 67, 2-28. Jansen, C., D. von Wettstein, W. Schäfer, K-H. Kogel, A. Felk & F.J. Maier 2005 Infection patterns in barley and wheat inoculated with wild-type and trichodiene synthase gene disrupted Fusarium graminearun. Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. 102, 16892-16897. Waller, F., B. Achatz, H. Baltruschat, J. Fodor, K.Becker, M. Fischer, T.Heier, R.Hückelhoven, C. Neumann, D. von Wettstein, P. Franken & K.-H. Kogel 2005 The endophytic fungus Piriformospora indica reprograms barley to salt-stress tolerance, disease resistance, and higher yield. Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. USA 102, 13386-13391. Rzeznicka, K., C.J.Walker, T. Westergren, C.G. Kannangara, D.von Wettstein, S. Merchant, S.P. Gough & M. Hansson 2005 Xantha-l encodes a membrane protein subunit of the aerobic Mg-protoporphyrin IX monomethyl ester cyclase in the chlorophyll biosynthetic pathway. Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. USA 102: 5886-5891. Horvath H., N. Rostoks, Brueggeman, B. Steffenson, D. von Wettstein & A. Kleinhofs (2003). Genetically engineered stem rust resistance in barley using the Rpgl gene. Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. USA 100, 364-369. Wettstein, D. von, J. Warner & C.G. Kannangara (2003). Supplements of transgenic malt or grain containing (1,3-1,4)-ß-glucanase to barley based broiler diets lift their nutritive value to that of corn. Brit. J. Poultry Sci. 44, 1-12. Zakhrabekova S., C.G. Kannangara, D. von Wettstein & M. Hansson (2002). A microarray approach for identifying mutated genes. Plant Physiol. Biochem. 40, 189-197. Ullrich, S., D. von Wettstein & J. Burns (2002) WSU releases and prereleases new barley varieties. Wheat life 45, 26-28. Druka A., D. Kudrna, C.G. Kannangara, D. von Wettstein & A. Kleinhofs (2002). Physical and genetic mapping of barley (Hordeum vulgare) germin-like cDNAs. Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. USA 99, 850-855. Stahl R., H. Horvath, J. Van Fleet, M. Voetz, D. von Wettstein & N. Wolf (2002). T-DNA integration into the barley genome from single and double cassette vectors. Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. USA 99, 2146-2151.