Professor Maria Hrmova

• Qualifications

  ·   Bachelor of Science (BSc) in Biochemistry, Comenius University, Czecho-Slovakia

  ·   Master of Science (MSc) in Biochemistry, Comenius University, Czecho-Slovakia

  ·   Doctor of Philosophy (PhD) in Biochemistry, Comenius University and Slovak University of Technology, Czecho-Slovakia

  ·   Doctor Scientiarum (DrSci) in Chemistry, Comenius University, Slovak Republic

   

• Awards & Achievements

  2023 – Commemorative medal of the Institute of Chemistry of The Slovak Academy of Sciences

  Awarded by the Director of the Institute of Chemistry of the Slovak Academy of Sciences for long-term collaboration on the occasion of the 70th anniversary of the foundation of the Institute.

  2021 – The Gold Medal of The Slovak Academy of Sciences

  The gold medal was awarded by the President and the Scientific Council of the Slovak Academy of Sciences for promoting highly productive collaboration between the Slovak Republic and Australia, and achievements in the field of biochemistry and biophysics. This is the highest-ranked award by the Scientific Council of the Slovak Academy of Sciences.

  2019 – Professor Emerita at The University of Adelaide

  The title of Professor Emerita in Structural Biology and Biophysics by the Vice-Chancellor of the University of Adelaide.

  2012 – Elected Member of The Learned Society of Slovak Academy of Sciences

  The member of the Learned Society of Slovak Academy of Sciences, which 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 the Slovak Republic, and honourably represents the Slovak Academy of Sciences. The Learned Society established in 1949 has 112 members and is equivalent to the Australian Academy of Science.

  2012 – Doctor Scientiarum by the Comenius University, Slovak Republic

  The title of Doctor Scientiarum in chemistry for discoveries made in the fields of biochemistry and biophysics.

   

  Member of Editorial Boards and Leading Special Issues:

  2021 – International Journal of Molecular Sciences; Molecular Plant Sciences  

  2021 – Frontiers in Plant Sciences, Special Issue in Structural Bioinformatics, Computational and Biophysical Approaches for Understanding the Plant Responses to Biotic and Abiotic Stress

  2021 – Carbohydrate-Active Enzymes—A Tribute to Peter Biely and His Contribution to Science

• Research Interests

  My expertise is in the multidisciplinary field of structural biochemistry and biophysics. Our group participated in the discoveries of mechanisms of enzyme catalysis and the function of plant membrane proteins. The new knowledge that we acquire is used for designing novel plant proteins with desired characteristics that would work optimally under challenging environmental conditions creating a sustainable and interconnected bio-economy. My tasks are to investigate molecular mechanisms that underpin the function of plant proteins in three areas:

  (i)           CATALYTIC MECHANISMS OF ENZYMES INVOLVED IN PLANT DEVELOPMENT

  We focus on catalytic mechanisms of plant exohydrolytic and xyloglucan xyloglucosyl transferase enzymes. With exohydrolases using high-resolution X-ray crystallography, enzyme kinetics, mass spectrometry, NMR spectroscopy, and multi-scale 3D molecular modelling, we discovered the glucose product displacement mechanism and how it is linked to the catalytic cycle. This newly described ‘substrate-product assisted processive catalytic’ mechanism represents a series of events, where on productive substrate binding near the active site, the entrapped glucose product modifies its binding patterns and evokes the formation of a temporary lateral cavity, which serves as a conduit for glucose departure to allow for the next catalytic cycle. This path enables efficient catalysis via multiple hydrolytic events without the enzyme losing contact with oligo- or polysaccharides. This discovery has significance in biotechnology to engineer enzymes for how plant materials can be converted into biofuels, biochemicals and other high-value products. It is also applicable in the pharmaceutical industry, where enzymes are sought as environmentally friendly and cost-effective options in bioremediation, and other applications. 

  This work was published in two articles in Nature Communications ( ). Press Releases for these articles can be seen here ( ). 

  Movies illustrating the catalytic mechanism can be seen here ( ).

  With xyloglucan xyloglucosyl transferases we engineered the acceptor substrate specificity in nasturtium enzymes and in barley isoforms we discovered that they catalysed the covalent bond formation between the xyloglucan donor and the penta-galacturonide acceptor – the homogalacturonan (pectin) fragment. This work was published in Plant Molecular Biology and Plant Journal. Press Release to the Plant Journal article can be seen here.

  (ii)          PLANT TRANSPORT PROTEINS UNDERLYING ELEMENTAL SOIL TOXICITY TOLERANCE

  My laboratory focuses on structural and functional properties of plant borate and High-affinity Potassium Na⁺/K⁺ transporters (HKT), and unorthodox and multifunctional aquaporins. By combining in silico and in vitro methods, we discovered that borate transporters mediate Na⁺-dependent anion transport and exhibit channel-like characteristics. This work was published in Plant Cell, and Plant Physiology. 

  With HKT transporters, we constructed 3D structural models for Na⁺-exclusion in rice, wheat and barley, and explained that variations in salt tolerance can be explained by transcription, alternative splicing, and a protein structure. We clarified a long-standing question, how do the structural variations in wheat HKT proteins underpin differences in Na⁺ transport capacity; this work was highlighted on the front cover of Cellular and Molecular Life Sciences, and published in Plant Cell & Environment, Communications Biology, and Plant Direct.

  (iii)          TRANSCRIPTION FACTORS INVOLVED IN THE REGULATION OF PLANT RESPONSES TO DROUGHT

  We perform extensive 3D molecular modelling studies of transcription factors in complex with DNA cis-elements, such as bZIP, HDZip, DREB, ERF, NFY-YB, CBF, and MYB, and validate these DNA-binding properties in vitro. We engineered wheat transcription factor variants and in breakthrough science, using genetically engineered plants, we showed that these modifications changed DNA recognition and plant responses to drought and frost. Our work was highlighted on front covers of Plant Biotechnology Journal, Plant Molecular Biology, and Journal of Experimental Botany.

• Research Funding

  Research in my group has been funded by the Australian Research Council, by the Grains Research & Development Corporation, the South Australian Government, the Waite Research Institute of the University of Adelaide, DuPont Pioneer and by the Australian Synchrotron Research Program. The latter is supported by the Commonwealth of Australia under the Major National Research Facilities Program. 

   

  Expertise for Media Contact

  Categories	Science & Technology, Biotechnology
  Expertise	Biochemistry and biophysics; biotechnology and applications; carbohydrate and protein chemistry; enzyme mechanisms; genomics and genetic engineering; transport proteins; transcription factors; protein structure; 3D protein modelling; molecular mechanisms of plant abiotic stress tolerance.

• Publications

  Publications

  Research in my group resulted in the publishing of around 220 peer-reviewed articles and patents explaining catalytic mechanisms of enzymes in crop plants, and the roles of transporters and transcription factors in plant abiotic stress tolerance. Our outputs have appeared in the top-tier journals Nature Communications, Science, Cell Research, Communications Biology, American Chemical Society, Biotechnology Advances, Current Opinion in Plant Biology, Biochemical Society Transactions, Plant Cell, Plant Physiology, Plant Journal, Biochemical Journal, Journal of Biological Chemistry, etc. Our works have received ~8,000 citations and 14 papers have been featured on the front covers of academic resources.

  RECENTLY RELEASED ARTICLES:

  Hrmova M, Zimmer J, Bulone V, Fincher GB* (2024) Enzymes in 3D: Synthesis, remodelling and hydrolysis of cell wall (1,3;1,4)-β-glucans. Plant Physiology 194, 33-50. *Corresponding author.    

  Venkataraghavan A, Schwerdt JG, Tyerman SD, Hrmova M* (2023) Barley Nodulin 26-like Intrinsic Protein permeates water, metalloids, saccharides, and ion pairs due to structural plasticity and diversification. Journal of Biological Chemistry 299, 105410. *Corresponding author.  Media Release 

  Stratilová B, Šesták S, Stratilová E, Vadinová K, Kozmon S*, Hrmova M* (2023) Engineering of substrate specificity in a plant cell-wall modifying enzyme through alterations of carboxyl-terminal amino acid residues. The Plant Journal 16, 1529-1544. *Co-corresponding authors.  Media Release .

  Hrmova M*, Schwerdt JG (2023) Molecular mechanisms of processive glycoside hydrolases underline catalytic pragmatism. Biochemical Society Transactions 51, 1387-1403. *Corresponding author.

  Stratilová B, Kozmon S, Stratilová E, Hrmova M* (2023) Chapter 10: Glycoside hydrolases family 16 – Xyloglucan: xyloglucosyl transferases and their roles in plant cell wall structure and mechanics. In: Glycoside Hydrolases: Biochemistry, Biophysics, and Biotechnology (Goyal A, Sharma K, eds), 1st edition, pages 213-242. Academic Press, Elsevier Inc.; doi: 10.1016/B978-0-323-91805-3.00003-4. Invited review. *Corresponding author.

  Luang S, Fernández-Luengo X, Nin-Hill A, Streltsov VA, Schwerdt JG, Alonso-Gil S, Ketudat Cairns JR, Pradeau S, Fort S, Maréchal J-D, Masgrau L, Rovira C, Hrmova M* (2022) The evolutionary advantage of an aromatic clamp in plant family 3 glycoside exo-hydrolases. Nature Communications 13, 5577, 1. *Corresponding author.  Media Release . 

  Sperotto, RA*, Hmova, M*, Graether, SP*, Timmers, LFSM* (2022) Structural bioinformatics and biophysical approaches for understanding the plant responses to biotic and abiotic stresses. Sperotto, RA, Hrmova, M, Graether SP, Timmers LFSM, eds, pp 1-127. Frontiers in Plant Sciences (Lausanne: Frontiers Media SA, ISSN 1664-8714). *Co-corresponding authors.

  Stratilová B, Stratilová E, Hrmova M*, Kozmon S* (2022) Definition of the acceptor substrate binding specificity in plant xyloglucan endotransglycosylases using computational chemistry. International Journal of Molecular Sciences 23, 11838. *Co-corresponding authors.

  Gilliham M, Hrmova M (2022) Alluminating the structure key to stress tolerance. Nature Series – Cell Research 32, 5-6.

  Sperotto RA*, Hrmova M*, Graether SP*, Timmers LFSM* (2022) Editorial: Structural bioinformatics and biophysical approaches for understanding the plant responses to biotic and abiotic stresses. Frontiers in Plant Sciences 13, 1012584. *Co-corresponding authors.

  Hrmova M*, Stratilová B, Stratilová E (2022) Broad specific xyloglucan: xyloglucosyl transferases are formidable players in the re-modelling of plant cell wall structures. International Journal of Molecular Sciences 23, 1656. *Corresponding author.

  Wege S, Qiu J, Byrt C, Houston K, Waugh R, Gilliham M, Hrmova M* (2021) A single residue deletion in the barley HKT1;5 P189 variant restores plasma membrane localisation but not Na+ conductance. Biochimica et Biophysica Acta – Biomembranes 1863, 183669. *Corresponding author.

  Hrmova M*, Hussain SS (2021) Plant transcription factors involved in drought and associated stresses. International Journal of Molecular Sciences 22, 5662. Special Issue: Drought-Stress Induced Physiological and Molecular Changes in Plants. *Corresponding author.  Media Release

  Stratilová B, Šesták S, Mravec J, Garajová S, Vadinová K, Kucerová D, Kozmon S, Schwerdt JG, Shirley N, Stratilová E, Hrmova M* (2020) Another building block in the plant cell wall: Barley xyloglucan xyloglucosyl transferases link covalently xyloglucan and anionic oligosaccharides derived from pectin. The Plant Journal 104, 752-767. *Corresponding author.

  Hrmova M*, Gilliham M, Tyerman SD (2020) Plant transporters involved in combating boron toxicity: beyond 3D structures. Biochemical Society Transactions 48, 1683-1696. Invited review. *Corresponding author.

  Borjigin C, Schilling RK, Bose J, Hrmova M, Qiu J, Wege S, Situmorang A, Brien C, Berger B, Gilliham M, Pearson A, Roy S (2020) A single nucleotide substitution in TaHKT1;5-D controls shoot Na+ accumulation in bread wheat. Plant Cell & Environment 43, 2158-2171.

  Houston K, Qiu J, Wege S, Hrmova M, Oakey H, Qu Y, Smith P, Situmorang A, Macaulay M, Flis P, Bayer M, Halpin C, Roy S, Russell J, Byrt C, Gilliham MJ, Salt DE, Waugh R (2020) Barley sodium content is regulated by natural variants of the Na+ transporter HvHKT1;5. Nature Series – Communications Biology 3, 258.

  Goonetilleke SN, Croxford AE, March TJ, Wirthensohn MG, Hrmova M, Mather DE (2020) Variation among S-locus haplotypes and among stylar RNases in almond. Nature Series – Scientific Reports 10, 583.

  Streltsov VA, Luang S, Peisley A, Varghese JN, Ketudat Cairns JR, Fort S, Hijnen M, Tvaroška I, Ardá A, Jiménez-Barbero J, Alfonso-Prieto M, Rovira C, Mendoza F, Tiessler-Sala L, Sánchez-Aparicio S-E, Rodríguez-Guerra J, Lluch JM, Maréchal J-D, Masgrau L, Hrmova M* (2019) Discovery of processive catalysis by an exo-hydrolase with a pocket-shaped active site. Nature Communications 10, 2222, 1. *Corresponding author.   Media Release 

  OTHER KEY ARTICLES:

  Xu B, Hrmova M, Gilliham M (2020) High affinity Na+ transport by wheat HKT1;5 is blocked by K+. Plant Direct 4, e00275.

  Hrmova M*, Gilliham M (2018) Plants fighting back: to transport or not to transport, this is a structural question. Biochemical Society Transactions 46, 68-76. Invited review. *Corresponding author.

  Xu B, Waters S, Byrt CS, Plett D, Tyerman SD, Tester M, Munns R, Hrmova M*, Gilliham M* (2018) Structural variations in wheat HKT1;5 underpin differences in Na+ transport capacity. Cellular and Molecular Life Sciences 75, 1133-1144. Featured on the front cover. *Co-corresponding authors.  

  Bi H, Shi J, Kovalchuk N, Luang S, Bazanova N, Chirkova L, Zhang D, Shavrukov Y, Stepanenko A, Tricker P, Langridge P, Hrmova M*, Lopato S, Borisjuk N* (2018) Overexpression of the TaSHN1 transcription factor in bread wheat leads to leaf surface modifications, improved drought tolerance and no yield penalty under controlled growth conditions. Plant Cell & Environment 41, 2549-2566. *Co-corresponding authors.

  Luang S, Hrmova M* (2017) Structural basis of the permeation function of plant aquaporins. In: Plant Aquaporins, Series Signaling and Communication in Plants, Subtitle: From Transport to Signaling (Chaumont F, Tyerman SD, eds), pp 1-28. Springer Verlag, Berlin, Heidelberg, London, ISBN 978-3-319-49393-0. Invited review. *Corresponding author.

  Nagarajan Y, Rongala J, Luang S, Singh A, Shadiac N, Hayes J, Sutton T, Gilliham M, Tyerman SD, McPhee G, Voelcker NH, Mertens HDT, Kirby NM, Lee J-G, Yingling YG, Hrmova M* (2016) A barley efflux transporter operates in a Na+-dependent manner, as revealed through a multidisciplinary platform. Plant Cell 28, 202-218. *Corresponding author.

  Li B, Evrard A, Qiu J, Johnson AAT, Baumann U, Birnbaum KD, Hrmova M, Mayo GM, Jha D, Henderson S, Tester M, Gilliham M*, Roy SJ* (2016) Identification of a stelar-localised transport protein that facilitates root-to-shoot transfer of chloride in Arabidopsis. Plant Physiology 170, 1014-1029. *Co-corresponding authors.

  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. *Corresponding author.

  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. *Corresponding author.

  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. *Corresponding author.

  (ii)        CATALYTIC MECHANISMS OF ENZYMES INVOLVED IN PLANT DEVELOPMENT

  Stratilová B, Kozmon S, Stratilová E, Hrmova M* (2020) Plant xyloglucan xyloglucosyl transferases and the cell wall structure: subtle but significant. Invited review for Special Issue: Targeting Carbohydrate-Protein interactions. Molecules 25, 5619. *Corresponding author.

  Stratilová B, Rehulka P, Garajová S, Rehulková H, Stratilová E, Hrmova M, Kozmon S (2020) Structural characterization of the Pet c 1.0201 PR-10 protein isolated from roots of Petroselinum crispum (Mill.) Fuss. Phytochemistry 175, 112368.

  Stratilová B, Firáková Z, Klaudiny J, Šesták S, Kozmon S, Strouhalová D, Garajová S, Ait-Mohand F, Horváthová A, Farkaš V, Stratilová E, Hrmova M* (2019) Engineering the acceptor substrate specificity in the xyloglucan endotransglycosylase TmXET6.3 from nasturtium seed (Tropaeolum majus L.). Plant Molecular Biology 100, 181-197. *Corresponding author.

  Tankrathok A, Iglesias-Fernández J, Williams RJ, Pengthaisong S, Baiya S, Hakki Z, Robinson RC, Hrmova M, Rovira C, Williams SJ, Ketudat Cairns JR (2015) A single glycosidase harnesses different transition state conformations for hydrolysis of mannosides and glucosides. American Chemical Society: Catalysis, 5, 6041-6051.

  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.

  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.

  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

  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.

  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.

  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.

  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.

  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. Featured on the front cover.

  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. Plant Cell 14, 1033-1052. Featured on the front cover.

  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-β-d-glucanases. Journal of Biological Chemistry 270, 14556-14563.

  (iii)        TRANSCRIPTION FACTORS INVOLVED IN THE REGULATION OF PLANT RESPONSES TO DROUGHT

  Kovalchuk N, Wu W, Bazanova N, Reid N, Singh R, Shirley N, Eini O, Johnson A, Langridge P, Hrmova M*, Lopato S (2019) Wheat wounding-responsive HD-Zip IV transcription factor GL7 is predominantly expressed in grain and activates expression of defensins. Plant Molecular Biology 101, 41-61. Correction to Figure 8: Plant Molecular Biology 101, 63-64. *Corresponding author.

  Yang Y, Al-Baidhani HHHJ, Harris J, Riboni M, Li Y, Mazonka I, Bazanova N, Chirkova L, Hussain SS, Hrmova M*, Haefele S, Lopato S, Kovalchuk N (2020) DREB/CBF expression in wheat and barley using the stress-inducible promoters of HD-Zip I genes: impact on plant development, stress tolerance and yield. Plant Biotechnology Journal 18, 829-844. *Corresponding author.

  Yang Y, Luang S, Harris J, Riboni M, Li Y, Bazanova N, Hrmova M*, Haefele S, Kovalchuk N, Lopato S (2018) Overexpression of the class I homeodomain transcription factor TaHDZipI-5 increases drought and frost tolerance in transgenic wheat. Plant Biotechnology Journal 16, 1227-1240. *Corresponding author.

  Luang S, Sornaraj P, Bazanova N, Jia W, Eini O, Hussain SS, Kovalchuk N, Agarwal P, Hrmova M*, Lopato S (2018) TabZIP2 from wheat is a part of the signalling pathway that mobilises plants to respond to nutrient starvation under drought. Plant Molecular Biology 96, 543-561. *Corresponding author.

  Bi H, Luang S, Li Y, Bazanova N, Borisjuk N, Hrmova M*, Lopato S (2017) Wheat drought-responsive WXPL transcription factors regulate cuticle biosynthesis genes. Plant Molecular Biology 94,15-32. Featured on the front cover. *Corresponding author.

  Bi H, Luang S, Li Y, Bazanova N, Morran S, Song Z, Perera MA, Hrmova M*, Borisjuk N, Lopato S (2016) Identification and characterisation of wheat drought responsive MYB transcription factors involved in the regulation of cuticle biosynthesis. Journal of Experimental Botany 67, 5363-5380. Featured on the front cover. *Corresponding author.

  Kovalchuk N, Chew W, Sornaraj P, Borisjuk N, Yang N, Singh R, Bazanova N, Shavrukov Y, Guendel A, Munz E, Borisjuk L, Langridge P, Hrmova M*, Lopato S (2016) The homeodomain transcription factor TaHDZipI-2 from wheat regulates frost tolerance, flowering time and spike development in transgenic barley. New Phytologist 211, 671-687. *Corresponding author.

  Harris JC, Sornaraj P, Taylor M, Bazanova N, Baumann U, Lovell B, Langridge P, Lopato S, Hrmova M* (2016) Molecular interaction of the γ-Clade Homeodomain-Leucine Zipper class I transcription factors during the wheat response to water deficit. Plant Molecular Biology 90, 435-452. Featured on the front cover. *Corresponding author.

  Sornaraj P, Luang S, Lopato S, Hrmova M* (2016) Basic leucine zipper (bZIP) transcription factors involved in abiotic stresses: A molecular model of a wheat bZIP factor and implications of its structure and function. Biochimica et Biophysica Acta - General Subjects 1850, 46-56. *Corresponding author.

  Amalraj A, Luang S, Kumar M, Sornaraj P, Eini O, Kovalchuk N, Bazanova N, Li Y, Yang N, Eliby S, Langridge P, Hrmova M*, Lopato S (2016) Change of function of the wheat stress-responsive transcriptional repressor TaRAP2.1L by repressor motif modification. Plant Biotechnology Journal 14, 820-832. *Corresponding author.

  Yadav D, Shavrukov Y*, Bazanova N, Chirkova L, Borisjuk N, Kovalchuk N, Ismagul A, Parent B, Hrmova M, Langridge P, Lopato S (2015) Constitutive over-expression of the TaNF-YB4 gene in transgenic wheat significantly improves grain yield. Journal of Experimental Botany 66, 6635-6650. *Corresponding author.

  Li M*, Lopato S, Hrmova M, Pickering M, Shirley N, Koltunow AM, Langridge P (2014) Expression patterns and protein structure of a lipid transfer protein END1 from Arabidopsis. Planta 240, 1319-1334. *Corresponding author.

  Lopato S*, Borisjuk N, Langridge P, Hrmova M (2014) Endosperm transfer cell-specific genes and proteins: structure, function and applications in biotechnology. Frontiers in Plant Science 5, article 64, 1-14. *Corresponding author.

  Borisjuk N*, Hrmova M*, Lopato S* (2014) Transcriptional regulation of cuticle biosynthesis. Biotechnology Advances 32, 526-540. *Co-corresponding authors.

  Hrmova M*, Lopato S (2014) Enhancing abiotic stress tolerance in plants by modulating properties of stress responsive transcription factors. In: Genomics of Plant Genetic Resources (Tuberosa R, Graner A, Frison E, eds), Volume 2, Part II: Crop productivity, food security and nutritional quality, pp 291-316. Springer Verlag, Netherlands, ISBN 978-94-007-7574-9. Invited review. *Corresponding author.

  (iv)       PROTEIN TECHNOLOGIES AND COMMENTARIES

  Han Z-L, Chen M, Fu X-D, Yang M, Hrmova M, Zhao Y-H, Mou H-J (2021) Potassium alginate oligosaccharides prevent the development of hypertension and heart failure changes via modulating gut microbiota in spontaneously hypertensive rats. International Journal of Molecular Sciences 22, 9823. Special Issue: Phytochemicals in Cardiovascular and Metabolic Diseases-Molecular Pharmacology and Therapeutic Potential. 

  Hrmova M (2021) Peter Biely, A pioneering researcher in the enzymology of plant biomass degradation. Special Issue: Carbohydrate-active enzymes – A tribute to Peter Biely and his contribution to science. Molecules 26, 4857.

  Zieleniecki J, Nagarajan Y, Waters S, Rongala J, Thompson V, Hrmova M*, Köper I* (2016) Cell-free synthesis of a functional membrane transporter into a tethered bilayer lipid membrane. American Chemical Society: Langmuir 32, 2445-2449. *Co-corresponding authors.

  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. *Corresponding author.

  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. *Corresponding author.

  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.

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

  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.

  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.

  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.

  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.

  Farrokhi N, Burton RA, Brownfield L, Hrmova M, Wilson SM, Bacic A, Fincher GB (2006) Plant cell wall biosynthesis: genetic, biochemical and functional genomics approaches to the identification of key genes. Plant Biotechnology Journal 4, 145–167.

  Hrmova M, Fincher GB (2001) Structure-function relationships of β-d-glucan endo- and exohydrolases from higher plants. Plant Molecular Biology 47, 73-91. Invited review.

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  • Gallery of 16 front cover journals and books - Gallery_of_16_front_cover_journals_and_books.pdf [1.1MB] (application/pdf)

Entry last updated: Friday, 19 Jan 2024