BIOL 3137: Molecular Tool for Ecology Lectures and Pracs on Next-generation sequencing
BIOL 3157: Bioinformatics und Functional Genomics Lectures and prac on Association genetics

I want to understand the genetic basis of the phenotype differences between individual plants of the same species. Myrtaceae, such as Eucalypts and Tea Trees, vary widely in their chemical composition between individuals of the same species. By sequencing structural genes of secondary metabolism pathways from a large number of individuals and associating the polymorphisms to the phenotype, we can discover and quantify the inherited effects of each polymorphism.

In April 2010 a plant pathogen from South America arrived in Australia - Myrtle rust (Puccinia psidii). This plant pathogen has not co-evolved with the Australian flora and most Australian Myrtaceae species are susceptible. The potential consequences for the Australian ecosystem and Industries dependent on Myrtaceae are vast. I investigate genetic markers for rust resistance, which will allow breeders to incorporate resistance into their plant breeding stock.

1. Külheim C, Ågren J, Jansson S (2002) Rapid Regulation of light harvesting and Plant fitness in the field. Science 297: 91-93

2. Ganeteg U, Külheim C*, Andersson J, Jansson S (2004) Is each light harvesting complex protein important for plant fitness? Plant Physiology 134: 502-509
* Shared first author

3. Külheim C, Jansson S (2005) What leads to reduced fitness in non-photochemical quenching mutants during stress? Physiologia plantarum 125: 202-211

4. Frenkel M, Külheim C*, Jankanpaa HJ, Skogstrom O, Dall’Osto L, Agren J, Bassi R, Moritz T, Moen J, Jansson S (2009) Improper excess light energy dissipation in Arabidopsis results in a metabolomic reprogramming. BMC Plant Biology 9: 12
* Shared first author

5. Philippe RN, Ralph SG, Külheim C, Jancsik SI, Bohlmann J (2009) Poplar defense against insects: genome analysis, full-length cDNA cloning, and transcriptome and protein analysis of the poplar Kunitz-type protease inhibitor family. New Phytologist 184: 865-884

6. Külheim C, Yeoh SH, Maintz J, Foley WJ, Moran GF (2009) Comparative SNP diversity among four Eucalyptus species for genes from secondary metabolite biosynthetic pathways. BMC genomics 10: 452

7. Külheim C (2010) Applying second-generation sequencing to non-model species. Aust. Biochemist 41: 10-13

8. Külheim C, Yeoh SH, Wallis IR, Laffan S, Moran GF, Foley WJ (2011) The molecular basis of quantitative variation in foliar secondary metabolites in Eucalyptus globulus. New Phytologist DOI: 10.1111/j.1469-8137.2011.03769.x

9. C Kulheim, H Webb, S-H Yeoh, IR Wallis, GF Moran, WJ Foley (2011) Using the Eucalyptus genome to understand the evolution of plant secondary metabolites in the Myrtaceae. BMC Proceedings, 5: O11

10. H Webb, C Kulheim, R Lanfear, J Hammil, WJ Foley (2011) The regulation of quantitative variation of foliar terpenes in medicinal tea tree Melaleuca alternifolia. BMC Proceedings, 5: O20

11. Grattapaglia D, Vaillancourt RE, Shepherd M, Thumma BR, Foley WJ, Kulheim C, Potts BM, Myburg AA (2012) Progress in Myrtaceae genetics and genomics: Eucalyptus as the pivotal genus. Tree genetics and genomes 8(3) 463-508

Coming really soon:
H Webb, R Lanfear, WJ Foley, C Kulheim (2012) The yield of essential oils in Melaleuca alternifolia (Myrtaceae) is regulated through transcript abundance of genes in the MEP pathway. PLoS One
A Padovan, A Keszei, WJ Foley, C Kulheim (2012) Differences in gene expression within a striking phenotypic mosaic Eucalyptus tree that varies in susceptibility to herbivory. BMC Plant Biology

Post doctoral fellowship from the Swedish Research Council (2007)
PHA: Discovery of genetic markers for resistance to infection by Uredo rangelii in species of Myrtaceae (2012-2013)
RIRDC: Discovery of genetic resistance markers to Myrtle rust in Myrtaceae (2012-2014)