Professor Maria Hrmova

Biography/ Background

Professor Hrmova is the Leader of the Structural Biology Group at the Australian Centre for Plant Functional Genomics, School of Agriculture, Food and Wine, University of Adelaide of the Waite Campus. Maria Hrmova has published over 110 papers in books, journals and refereed conference proceedings, and 130 other contributions at international symposia and conferences.

PROFESSIONAL INTERESTS

STRUCTURAL BIOLOGY GROUP AT THE AUSTRALIAN CENTRE OF PLANT FUNCTIONAL GENOMICS that I lead is focused on membrane transporters and transcription factors involved in abiotic stress tolerance of cereal plants. Our interests are also centred on hydrolase, transferase, and synthase enzymes that participate in formation of plant cell surface structures. The goals of our projects are to address fundamental questions as to how proteins mediate their biological functions.

TRANSPORTERS, TRANSCRIPTION FACTORS and OTHER PROTEINS - We focus on structural analysis of plant borate and HKT Na+/K+ transporters, aquaporins, defensins and lipid-binding proteins, and transcription factors, such as bZIP, HDZip and DREB. Our work has appeared in 2010, 2011 and 2012 on front covers of Plant Molecular Biology, Plant Biotechnology Journal and Journal of Experimental Botany.

ENZYMES - Our work is focused on hydrolytic enzymes to define in atomic details their catalytic mechanisms, thermodynamic and structural determinants of substrate recognition, and natures of transition states that take part during a hydrolytic cycle. We have crystallised a plant exohydrolase enzyme and solved its three-dimensional (3D) structure, which represents the first 3D structure of this type of hydrolase. We solved more than twenty of other 3D structures of exohydrolases in complex with mechanism-based inhibitors, substrate analogues and transition-state mimics. We investigated the substrate/product exchange in the active site of exohydrolases using X-ray crystallography and NMR spectroscopy. We used molecular dynamics and quantum mechanical simulations to elucidate kinetic aspects of catalysis and substrate specificity of enzymes.

FUNCTION OF PLANT MEMBRANE PROTEINS: ALLIANCE OF CELL-FREE SYNTHESIS AND NANOTECHNOLOGY - A focus of our group is on development of heterologous protein production methods through cell-based and cell-free platforms. We have constructed cDNA fusions of large α-helical membrane proteins and synthesised them in high yields using a wheat germ-based cell-free system with a range of surfactants and lipids. We test these proteins for functionality such as substrate selectivity and kinetic properties. We have created artificial membrane environments mimicking native ones using liposomes and nanodiscs. We have reconstituted membrane proteins in these nanoparticles and have imaged them through in-fluid atomic force microscopy and small angle X-ray scattering using synchrotron radiation.

Qualifications

2012     Doctor of Sciences - Chemistry, Comenius University, Slovak Republic

1982     Doctor of Philosophy - Biochemistry, Comenius University and Slovak University of Technology, Czecho-Slovakia

Awards & Achievements

ELECTED MEMBER OF THE LEARNED SOCIETY OF SLOVAK ACADEMY OF SCIENCES - In June 2012 I was elected a member of the Learned Society of Slovak Academy of Sciences. This society  supports the development of science, spreads scientific knowledge, debates the ethical questions of research, declares clear positions on the problems and norms of science and technology, influences the direction of research in Slovak Republic, and honourably represents the Slovak Academy of Sciences. The Learned Society of Slovak Academy of Sciences that was established in 1949 has 112 members and is an equivalent to the Australian Academy of Science.

Publications

Hrmova M, Lopato S (2013) Enhancing abiotic stress tolerance in plants by modulating properties of stress responsive transcription factors. In: Advances in Genomics of Plant Genetic Resources (Tuberosa R, Graner A, Frison E, eds). Springer Verlag. In the Press.

Shadiac N, Nagarajan Y, Waters S, Hrmova M (2013). The close allies in membrane protein research: cell-free synthesis and nanotechnology. Molecular Membrane Biology 30, 229-245.

Chew W, Hrmova M, Lopato S (2013) Role of HD-Zip IV transcription factors in plant development and plant protection from deleterious environmental factors. International Journal of Molecular Sciences 14, 8122-8147.

Waters S, Gilliham M, Hrmova M (2013) Plant high affinity potassium (HKT) transporters involved in salinity tolerance: structural insights to probe differences in ion selectivity. International Journal of Molecular Sciences 14, 7660-7680.

Eini O, Yang N, Pyvovarenko T, Pillman K, Bazanova N, Tikhomirov N, Eliby S, Shirley N, Sivasankar S, Tingey S, Langridge P, Hrmova M, Lopato S (2013) Complex regulation by Apetala2 domain-containing transcription factors revealed through analysis of the stress-responsive TdCor410b promoter from durum wheat. PLoS ONE 8, e58713.

Periasamy A, Shadiac N, Amalraj A, Garajová S, Nagarajan Y, Waters S, Mertens HD, Hrmova M (2013) Cell-free protein synthesis of membrane (1,3)-β-d-glucan (curdlan) synthase: co-translational insertion in liposomes and reconstitution in nanodiscs. Biochimica et Biophysica Acta - Biomembranes 1828, 743-757.

Cotsaftis O, Plett D, Shirley N, Tester M, Hrmova M (2012) A two-staged model of Na⁺ exclusion in rice explained by 3D modeling of HKT transporters and alternative splicing. PLoS ONE 7, e39865.

Fernandez i Marti A, Wirthensohn M, Alonso J, Socias i Company R, Hrmova M (2012) Molecular modelling of S-RNases involved in almond self-incompatibility. Frontiers in Crop Science and Horticulture 3, 1-4.

Kovalchuk N, Smith J, Bazanova N, Pyvovarenko T, Singh R, Shirley N, Ismagul A, Johnson A, Milligan AS, Hrmova M, Langridge P, Lopato S (2012) TdPR61 is a marker for nutrient fluxes and transport pathways in the endosperm and embryo of wheat, barley and rice. Journal of Experimental Botany 63, 2025-2040. Feature article with a front cover photograph.  

Harris J, Hrmova M, Lopato S, Langridge P (2011) Modulation of plant growth by HDZip class I and II transcription factors in response to environmental stimuli. New Phytologist 190, 823-837. Tansley review.

Rivandi J, Miyazaki J, Hrmova M, Pallotta M, Tester M, Collins NC (2011) A SOS3 homologue maps to HvNax4, a barley locus controlling an environment-dependent Na⁺ exclusion trait. Journal of Experimental Botany 62, 1201-1211. Feature article with a front cover photograph.

Stone BA, Jacobs AK, Hrmova M, Burton RA, Fincher GB (2011) The biosynthesis of plant cell wall and related polysaccharides by enzymes of the GT2 and GT48 families. In: Plant Polysaccharides, Series: Annual Plant Reviews 41, 109-166. Blackwell Publishing Inc, Danvers, MA, USA (Ulvskov P, ed). Invited review.

Drew DP, Hrmova M, Lunde C, Jacobs A, Tester M, Fincher GB (2011) Structural and functional analyses of PpENA1 provide insights into cation binding by type IID P-type ATPases in lower plants and fungi. Biochimica et Biophysica Acta - Biomembranes 1808, 1483-1492.

Kaiser BN, Hrmova M (2010) A glimpse at regulation of nitrogen homeostasis. Structure 18, 1395-1397. Invited commentary.

Kuntothom T, Raab M, Tvaroška I, Fort S, Pengthaisong S, Cañada FJ, Calle L, Jiménez-Barbero J, Ketudat Cairns JR, Hrmova M (2010) Binding of β-d-glucosides and β-d-mannosides by rice and barley β-d-glycosidases with distinct substrate specificities. Biochemistry (USA) 49, 8779-8793.

Luang S, Ketudat Cairns JR, Streltsov VA, Hrmova M (2010) Crystallisation of wild-type and variant forms of a recombinant β-d-glucan glucohydrolase from barley (Hordeum vulgare L.) by macroseeding with wild-type native microcrystals and preliminary X-ray analysis. International Journal of Molecular Sciences 11, 2759-2769.

Schnurbusch T, Hayes J, Hrmova M, Baumann U, Ramesh SA, Tyerman SD, Langridge P, Sutton T (2010) Boron toxicity tolerance in barley through reduced expression of the multifunctional aquaporin, HvNIP2;1. Plant Physiology 153, 1706-1715.

Kaewthai N, Harvey AJ, Hrmova M, Brumer H, Ezcurra I, Teeri TT, Fincher GB (2010) Recombinant expression of a diversity of barley XTH genes in the yeast Pichia pastoris. Plant Biotechnology 27, 251-258.

Luang S, Hrmova M, Ketudat Cairns JR (2010) High-level expression of barley β-d-glucan exohydrolase HvExoI from a codon-optimized cDNA in Pichia pastoris. Protein Expression and Purification 73, 90-98.

Kosik O, Auburn RP, Stratilova E, Garajova S, Hrmova M, Farkas V (2010) Polysaccharide micro-arrays for screening of transglycosylase activities in plant extracts. Glycoconjugate Journal 27, 79-87.

Hanlin RL, Hrmova M, Harbertson JF, Downey MO (2010) Condensed tannin and grape cell wall interactions and impact on tannin extractability into wine - a review. Australian Journal of Grape and Wine Research 16, 173-188. Feature article with a front cover photograph.

Kovalchuk N, Li M, Wittek F, Reid N, Shirley N, Ismagul A, Eliby S, Johnson A, Milligan AS, Hrmova M, Langridge P, Lopato S (2010) Defensin promoters as tools for engineering of wheat and rice grain protection during periods of high vulnerability to pathogens. Journal of Biotechnology 8, 47-64. Feature article with a front cover photograph.

Vaaje-Kolstad G, Farkas V, Fincher GB, Hrmova M (2010) Barley xyloglucan xyloglucosyl transferases bind xyloglucan-derived oligosaccharides in their acceptor binding regions in multiple conformational states. Archives of Biochemistry and Biophysics 496, 61-68.

Vaaje-Kolstad G, Farkaš V, Hrmova M, Fincher GB (2010) Xyloglucan xyloglucosyl transferases from barley (Hordeum vulgare L.) bind oligomeric and polymeric xyloglucan molecules in their acceptor binding sites. Biochimica et Biophysica Acta - General Subjects 1800, 674-684.

Zhang Q, Shirley NJ, Burton RA, Lahnstein J, Hrmova M, Fincher GB (2010) The genetics, transcriptional profiles and catalytic properties of UDP-α-d-xylose 4-epimerases from barley (Hordeum vulgare L.). Plant Physiology 153, 555-568.

Hrmova M, Stone BA, Fincher GB (2010) High-yield production, refolding and molecular modelling of the catalytic module of (1,3)-β-d-glucan (curdlan) synthase from Agrobacterium sp. Glycoconjugate Journal 27, 461-476.

Kuntothom T, Luang S, Fincher GB, Opassiri R, Hrmova M, Ketudat Cairns JR (2009) Rice family GH1 glycoside hydrolases with β-d-glucosidase and β-d-mannosidase activities. Archives of Biochemistry and Biophysics 491, 85-95.

Kovalchuk N, Smith J, Pallotta M, Singh R, Ismagul A, Eliby S, Basanova N, Milligan AS, Hrmova M, Langridge P, Lopato S (2009) Characterization of a wheat endosperm transfer cell specific protein TaPR60. Plant Molecular Biology 71, 81-98. Feature article with a front cover photograph.

Pettolino F, Sasaki I, Turbic A, Wilson S, Bacic A, Hrmova M, Fincher GB (2009) Hyphal cell walls from the plant pathogen Rhynchosporium secalis contain (1,3;1,6)-β-d-glucans, galacto- and rhamnomannans, (1,3;1,4)-β-d-glucans and chitin. FEBS Journal 276, 4122-41133. Feature article with a front cover photograph.

Montel E, Hrmova M, Fincher GB, Driguez H, Cottaz S (2009) A chemoenzymatic route to conjugatable β-(1,3)-glucan oligosaccharides. Australian Journal of Chemistry 62, 575-584.

Hrmova M, Farkas V, Harvey AJ, Lahnstein J, Wischmann B, Kaewthai N, Ezcurra I, Teeri TT, Fincher GB (2009) Substrate specificity and catalytic mechanism of a xyloglucan xyloglucosyl transferase HvXET6 from barley (Hordeum vulgare L.). FEBS Journal 276, 437-456.

Hrmova M, Fincher GB (2009) Plant and microbial enzymes involved in the depolymerisation of (1,3)-β-d-glucans and related polysaccharides. In: Chemistry, Biochemistry and Biology of (1,3)-β-d-Glucans and Related Polysaccharides, Academic Press, Elsevier Inc, San Diego, USA, 677 pp, 16 color plates (Bacic T, Fincher GB, Stone BA, eds), pp 119-170. Invited review. With front cover photograph.

Hrmova M, Fincher GB (2009) Functional genomics and structural biology in the definition of gene function. In: Plant Genomics, Humana Press Inc, Totowa, USA (Somers D, Langridge P, Gustafson P, eds). Methods in Molecular Biology 513, 199-227. Invited review.

Farrokhi N, Hrmova M, Burton RA, Fincher GB (2009) Heterologous and cell free expression systems. In: Plant Genomics, Humana Press Inc, Totowa, USA (Somers D, Langridge P, Gustafson P, eds). Methods in Molecular Biology 513, 175-198. Invited review.

Rodrigues JCM, Tucker MR, Johnson SD, Hrmova M, Koltunow AGM (2008) Sexual and apomictic (asexual) seed formation in Hieracium requires the plant Polycomb-group gene fertilization independent endosperm (FIE). Plant Cell 20, 2372-2386. Feature article with a front cover photograph.

Hrmova M, Farkas V, Lahnstein J, Fincher GB (2007) A barley xyloglucan xyloglucosyl transferase covalently links xyloglucan, cellulosic substrates and (1,3;1,4)-β-d-glucans. Journal of Biological Chemistry 282, 12951-12962.

Burton RA, Wilson SM, Hrmova M, Harvey AJ, Shirley NJ, Stone BA, Newbigin EJ, Medhurst A, Bacic A, Fincher GB (2006) Cellulose synthase-like CslF genes mediate the synthesis of cell wall (1,3;1,4)-β-d-glucans. Science 311, 1940-1942.

Hrmova M, Streltsov VA, Smith BJ, Vasella A, Varghese JN, Fincher, GB (2005) Structural rationale for low nanomolar binding of transition state mimics to a family GH3 β-d-glucan glucohydrolase from barley. Biochemistry (USA) 44, 16529-16539.

Hrmova M, De Gori R, Smith BJ, Vasella A, Varghese JN, Fincher GB (2004) Three-dimensional structure of the barley β-d-glucan glucohydrolase in complex with a transition-state mimic. Journal of Biological Chemistry 279, 4970-4980.

Lee RC, Hrmova M, Burton RA, Lahnstein J, Fincher GB (2003) An α-l-arabinofuranosidase and a β-d-xylosidase from barley: purification, characterization and primary structures. Journal of Biological Chemistry 278, 5377-5387.

Hrmova M, Imai T, Rutten SJ, Fairweather JK, Pelosi L, Bulone V, Driguez H, Fincher GB (2002) Barley (1,3)-β-d-glucan endohydrolase mutants synthesise crystalline (1,3)-β-d-glucans. Journal of Biological Chemistry 277, 30102-30111.

Hrmova M, De Gori R, Smith BJ, Fairweather JK, Driguez H, Varghese JN, Fincher GB (2002) Structural basis for broad substrate specificity in higher plant β-d-glucan glucohydrolases. The Plant Cell 14, 1033-1052. Feature article with a front cover photograph.

Hrmova M, Varghese JN, DeGori R, Smith BJ, Driguez H, Fincher GB (2001) Catalytic mechanisms and reaction intermediates along the hydrolytic pathway of plant β-d-glucan glucohydrolase. Structure 9, 1005-1016.

Varghese JN, Hrmova M, Fincher GB (1999) Three-dimensional structure of a barley β-d-glucan exohydrolase, a family 3 glycosyl hydrolase. Structure 7, 179-190.

Hrmova M, MacGregor EA, Biely P, Stewart RS, Fincher GB (1998) Substrate binding and catalytic mechanism of a barley β-d-glucosidase/(1,4)-β-d-glucan exohydrolase. Journal of Biological Chemistry 273, 11134-11143.

Hrmova M, Harvey AJ, Wang J, Shirley NJ, Jones GP, Høj PB, Fincher GB (1996) Barley β-d-glucan exohydrolases with β-d-glucosidase activity. Purification and determination of primary structure from a cDNA clone. Journal of Biological Chemistry 271, 5277-5286.

Hrmova M, Garrett TPJ, Fincher GB (1995) Subsite affinities and disposition of catalytic amino acids in the substrate-binding region of barley 1,3-d-β-glucanases. Journal of Biological Chemistry 270, 14556-14563.

Files

• A gallery of front covers of works published by Maria Hrmova during 2002-2012 - Front_covers.pdf [834.1K] (application/pdf)

Entry last updated: Thursday, 9 May 2013