Susann Wicke
Group Leader
Plant Evolutionary Genomics
Institute for Evolution and Biodiversity
Hüfferstraße 1
D-48149 Münster
Secretary: +49 251/83-21027
Research Foci
Evolution and functional adaptation of parasitic plants
The central topics of my research are the genetic causes and consequences of alternative lifestyles in plants in general and of parasitism in particular. Parasitism represents the most extreme interaction between plants, where the parasite steals water and nutrients from another plant through a multi-functional organ, which allows the parasite to tap directly into the vascular tissue of its host. Abandoning the photoautotrophic lifestyle brings about numerous genetic changes and molecular novelties. My research aims to understand the molecular reconfigurations and functional adaptations associated with parasitism and the heterotrophic lifestyle, and the interaction and coevolution of parasitic plants with their hosts. This research involves an experimental evolutionary experiment with selection lines of myxotrophic green algae to study the responses and gradual adaptations to heterotrophic and zero-light conditions on the genome, transcriptome, and protein level. Besides this, I have a strong interest in the molecular pathways of carnivory in plants, the genetics underlying the nucleotide substitution process, and the development and improvement of barcoding and genotyping markers for the identification of parasite germplasm in environmental samples.
Genetic causes and consequences of lifestyle changes in plants
Comparative parasitic plant/host interactions
We analyze the "molecular interactome" of several parasitic plant/host pairs to identify RNAs and proteins in the parasitic plant that mediate parasitic success, and, at the same time, pinpoint immune and resistance cascades in the host that are activated in response to a parasitic attack. To this end, we employ large-scale RNA sequencing and label-free mass spectrometric analysis.
Land plant evolution (evolution and systematics of early diverging land plants, molecular evolution of early vascular plants, symbiotic relationships of early land plant lineages)
Further Affiliation at the University of Münster
CV
Academic Education
- Dissertation at the University of Vienna, Austria. Dissertation and defense with distinction (summa cum laude).
- Studies of biology at the Technische Universität Dresden, Germany. Majors: Botany, genetics, and microbiology.
Positions
- Professor for Plant Evolution and Biodiversity, Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin, Direktor - Späth-Arboretum
- Professor (W1) for Plant Evolutionary Biology
- Research Group Leader
- Postdoctoral scholar at the University of Muenster
- Pre-doctoral researcher at the University of Vienna, Austria.
- Student research assistent in the Plant Phylogenetics & Phylogenomics Research group at the Technische Universität Dresden, Germany.
Honors
- Preis zur Förderung des wissenschaftlichen Nachwuchses – Gesellschaft zur Förderung der Westfälischen Wilhelms-Universität Münster
External Functions
- Scientific Advisory Board - "Renewed Strategies for Striga control", – International Alliance of African, European, Asian scientists for Striga research coordination and weed control
- Deputy chair: “Rectorate’s Committee for Equal Opportunity Measures”, WWU Münster
- Member of the Commission for research, young scientists, and structure at the WWU Muenster
Appointments
- Professor for Plant Evolutionary Biology, University of Münster (accepted)
University of Münster, Evolutionary Biology (W1) – accepted - Professor for Higher Plants, University of Graz, Austria (declined)
University of Graz, Higher Plants – rejected - Assistant Professor for Speciation Genomics, Uppsala University, Sweden (declined)
Uppsala University, Speciation Genomics – rejected - Assistant Professor in Evolutionary Biology, School of Biological Sciences, University of Wales, UK (declined)
University of Wales , Evolutionary Biology – rejected
Teaching
- Practical: *+) Plant Biotic Interactions and Phytopathology [134073]
- [Mon – Fri | ad hoc]
- Practical/Seminar: *) Gentechnik in der Landwirtschaft [134036]
(in cooperation with Iris Finkemeier and Jan-Ole Niemeier)- [ – | Thu, – | | SP4 107]
- Practical/Seminar: *+) Organismische Pflanzeninteraktionen [134074]
- [ – | Mon – Fri, – | Block Course]
- Alle: IEB Seminar [134218]
(in cooperation with Kai Müller, Jürgen Gadau, Erich Bornberg-Bauer and Joachim Kurtz)- [ – | Tue, – | | HHü]
- Project course: *+) Themenbereich: Pflanzen-Umwelt-Interaktionen und Phytopathologie [134072]
- []
- Lecture: Grundzüge der Ökologie [132006]
(in cooperation with Joachim Kurtz, Maik Bartelheimer and Elisabeth Meyer)- Practical/Seminar: *) Gentechnik in der Landwirtschaft [132036]
(in cooperation with Iris Finkemeier and Jan-Ole Niemeier)- Practical/Seminar: *) Integrative Biologie [132029]
(in cooperation with Carsten Kemena-Rinke, Joachim Kurtz, Iris Finkemeier, Bharat Ravi, Jan-Ole Niemeier, Gundula Noll, Sylvia Kaiser, Till Ischebeck, Lowis Gerrit Boje Müller, Stefan Roski, Melanie Dammhahn, Jaime Anaya-Rojas, Felix Buchert, Michael Hippler, Lukas Schrader, Jürgen Gadau, Karin Busch, Maik Bartelheimer, Jochen Schmid, Robert Peuß, Erich Bornberg-Bauer, Ivan Berg and Bettina Zeis)- Alle: 20. Jubiläum Institut für Evolution und Biodiversität
(in cooperation with Erich Bornberg-Bauer) - Practical/Seminar: *) Gentechnik in der Landwirtschaft [132036]
Projects
- SPP 2237 - Subproject: Evolution of biophysical carbon concentrating mechanisms from green algae to hornworts ()
Subproject in DFG-Joint Project Hosted outside the University of Münster: DFG - Schwerpunktprogramm | Project Number: HI 739/20-1 - Genetic reconfigurations en route to a holoparasitic lifestyle in plants ()
Individual Granted Project: DFG - Emmy Noether-Programm | Project Number: WI 4507/3-1 - Nutritional specialization and host-related diversification in parasitic plants ()
Individual Granted Project: Deutsch-Israelische Stiftung für Wissenschaftliche Forschung und Entwicklung | Project Number: G-2415-413.13/2016 - DAAD Austauschprogramm: PPP Norwegen 2016 - Funktionelle Anpassung in parasitisch lebenden Pflanzen ()
Individual Granted Project: Deutscher Akademischer Austauschdienst | Project Number: 57245731 - Aufbau einer wissenschaftlichen Kooperation zwischen der Universität Münster und der Universität Kopenhagen zur Entschlüsselung genetischer Netzwerke in parasitischen Pflanzen ()
Individual Granted Project: DFG - Internationale Kooperationsanbahnung | Project Number: WI 4507/2-1| MU 2875/4-1
Articles
- Kim, W, Jost, M, Nickrent, DL, Zhou, R, Acar, P, Langschied, F, Ebersberger, I, Wicke, S, and Wanke, S. . “Progress and prospects of parasitic plant biodiversity genomics.” Preprint. Plant and Cell Physiology pcag009. doi: 10.1093/pcp/pcag009.
- Leman, JKL, Braun, ZE, Manley, C, Schröder, L, Nägele, T, Lehmann, D, Leister, D, and S, Wicke. . “Metabolic compartmentalisation along the stem axis of Striga and Alectra reflects distinct zones of carbohydrate acquisition and utilisation.” Plant and Cell Physiology pcag017. doi: 10.1093/pcp/pcag017.
- Brun, G, Billard, E, Hýlová, A, Montiel, G, Plačková, L, Doležal, K, Puech-Pagès, V, Simier, P, Wicke, S, Spichal, L, Delavault, P, and Pouvreau, J-B. . “Divergent control of seed germination by cytokinins in weedy broomrapes and witchweeds.” Plant and Cell Physiology pcaf032. doi: 10.1093/pcp/pcaf032.
- Ruaud, S, Nötzold, SI, Waller, M, Galbier, F, Mousavi, SS, Charran, M, Zeeman, S, Bailly, A, Baroux, C, Hippler, M, Wicke, S, and Szövényi, P. . “Molecular underpinnings of hornwort carbon concentrating mechanisms: subcellular localization of putative key molecular components in the model hornwort Anthoceros agrestis.” New Phytologist Early View. doi: 10.1101/2024.06.24.596764.
- Brun, G, Schindler, F, Bouyrakhen, A, Dayou, O, Weckwerth, W, and Wicke, S. . “Seed metabolites headstart haustoriogenesis and potentiate aggressiveness of parasitic weeds.” Science advances eaea1449. doi: 10.1126/sciadv.aea1449.
- Kösters, LM, Wiechers, S, Lyko, P, Müller, KF, and Wicke, S. . “WARPP - web application for the research of parasitic plants.” Plant Physiology 185: 1374–1380. doi: 10.1093/plphys/kiaa105.
- Scharsack, Jörn P., Wieczorek, Bartholomäus, Schmidt-Drewello, Alexander, Büscher, Janine, Franke, Frederik, Moore, Andrew, Branca, Antoine Witten Anika Stoll Monika, Bornberg-Bauer, Erich, Wicke, Susann, and Kurtz, Joachim. . “Climate change facilitates a parasite’s host exploitation via temperature-mediated immunometabolic processes.” Global Change Biology 27: 94–107. doi: 10.1111/gcb.15402.
- Li, F-W, Nishiyama, T, Waller, M, Frangedakis, E, Keller, J, Li, Z, Fernandez-Pozo, N, Barker, MS, Bennett, T, Blázquez, MA, Cheng, S, Cuming, AC, de, Vries J, de, Vries S, Delaux, P-M, Diop, IS, Harrison, CJ, Hauser, D, Hernández-García, J, Kirbis, A, Meeks, JC, Monte, I, Mutte, SK, Neubauer, A, Quandt, D, Robison, T, Shimamura, M, Rensing, SA, Villarreal, JC, Weijers, D, Wicke, S, Wong, GK-S, Sakakibara, K, and Szövényi, P. . “Anthoceros genomes illuminate the origin of land plants and the unique biology of hornworts.” Nature plants 6: 259–272. doi: 10.1038/s41477-020-0618-2.
- Charoenwattanasatien, R, Zinzius, K, Scholz, M, Wicke, S, Tanaka, H, Brandenburg, JS, Ikegami, T, Matsumoto, T, Oda, T, Sato, M, Hippler, M, and Kurisu, G. . “Calcium sensing via EF-hand 4 enables thioredoxin activity in the sensor-responder protein calredoxin in the green alga Chlamydomonas reinhardtii.” Journal of Biological Chemistry 295 (1): 170–180. doi: 10.1074/jbc.RA119.008735.
- Chen, X, Fang, D, Wu, C, Liu, B, Liu, Y, Sahu, SK, Song, B, Yang, S, Yang, T, Wei, J, Wang, X, Zhang, W, Xu, Q, Wang, H, Yuan, L, Liao, X, Chen, L, Chen, Z, Fu, Y, Chang, Y, Lu, L, Yang, H, Wang, J, Xu, X, Liu, X, Wicke, S, and Liu, H. . “Comparative plastome analysis of root- and stem-feeding parasites of Santalales untangle the footprints of feeding mode and lifestyle transitions.” Genome Biology and Evolution 12 (1): 3663–3676.. doi: 10.1093/gbe/evz271.
- Aly, R, Lati, R, Abu-Nassar, J, Ziadna, H, Achdari, G, von, Muenchow CS, Wicke, S, Bari, VK, and Eizenberg, H. . “The weedy parasite Phelipanche aegyptiaca attacks Brassica rapa var. rapa L. for the first time in Israel.” Plant Disease 2019: 1.. doi: 10.1094/PDIS-02-19-0285-PDN.
- Qu, XJ, Fan, SJ, Wicke, S, and Yi, TS. . “Plastome reduction in the only parasitic gymnosperm Parasitaxus is due to losses of photosynthesis but not housekeeping genes and apparently involves the secondary gain of a large inverted repeat.” Genome Biology and Evolution 11 (10): 2789–2796.. doi: 10.1093/gbe/evz187.
- Maul, K, Krug, M, Nickrent, DL, Müller, KF, Quandt, D, and Wicke, S. . “Morphology, geographic distribution, and host preferences are poor predictors of phylogenetic relatedness in the mistletoe genus Viscum L.” Molecular Phylogenetics and Evolution 131: 106–115. doi: 10.1016/j.ympev.2018.10.041.
- Barrett, CF, Wicke, S, and Sass, C. . “Dense infraspecific sampling reveals rapid and independent trajectories of plastome degradation in a heterotrophic orchid complex.” New Phytologist 218 (3): 1192–1204. doi: 10.1111/nph.15072.
- Wang, Y-H, Wicke, S, Wang, H, Jin, J-J, Chen, S-Y, Zhang, S-D, Li, D-Z, and Yi, T-S. . “Plastid genome evolution in the early-diverging legume subfamily Cercidoideae (Fabaceae).” Frontiers in Plant Science 8: 138.. doi: 10.3389/fpls.2018.00138.
- Wicke, S, and Naumann, J. . “Molecular evolution of plastid genomes in parasitic flowering plants.” in Advances in Botanical Research, Vol. 85 of Plastid Genome Evolution, edited by S-M Chaw and RK Jansen. Academic Press. doi: 10.1016/bs.abr.2017.11.014.
- Noben, S, Kessler, M, Quandt, D, Weigand, A, Wicke, S, Krug, M, and Lehnert, M. . “Biogeography of the Gondwanan tree fern family Dicksoniaceae—A tale of vicariance, dispersal and extinction.” Journal of Biogeography 44 (11): 2648–2659. doi: 10.1111/jbi.13056.
- Levy, Karin E, Ashkenazy, H, Wicke, S, Pupko, T, and Mayrose, I. . “TraitRateProp: A web server for the detection of trait-dependent evolutionary rate shifts in sequence sites.” Nucleic Acids Research 45 (1): W260–W264. doi: 10.1093/nar/gkx288.
- Levy, Karin E, Wicke, S, Pupko, T, and Mayrose, I. . “An integrated model of phenotypic trait changes and site-specific sequence evolution.” Systematic Biology 66 (6): 917–933. doi: 10.1093/sysbio/syx032.
- Röschenbleck, J, Wicke, S, Weinl, S, Kudla, J, and Müller, KF. . “Genus-wide screening reveals four distinct types of structural plastid genome organization in Pelargonium (Geraniaceae).” Genome Biology and Evolution 9 (1): 64–76. doi: 10.1093/gbe/evw271.
- Wicke, S, Müller, KF, dePamphilis, CW, Quandt, D, Bellot, S, and Schneeweiss, GM. . “Mechanistic model of evolutionary rate variation en route to a nonphotosynthetic lifestyle in plants.” Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America 113 (32): 9045–9050. doi: 10.1073/pnas.1607576113.
- Feng, YL, Wicke, S, Li, JW, Han, Y, Lin, CS, Li, DZ, Zhou, TT, Huang, WC, Huang, LQ, and Jin, XH. . “Lineage-specific reductions of plastid genomes in an orchid tribe with partially and fully mycoheterotrophic species.” Genome Biology and Evolution 8 (7): 2164–2175. doi: 10.1093/gbe/evw144.
- Cusimano, N, and Wicke, S. . “Massive intracellular gene transfer during plastid genome reduction in nongreen Orobanchaceae.” New Phytologist 210 (2): 680–693. doi: 10.1111/nph.13784.
- Szövényi, P, Frangedakis, E, Ricca, M, Quandt, D, Wicke, S, and Langdale, JA. . “Establishment of Anthoceros agrestis as a model species for studying the biology of hornworts.” BMC Plant Biology 15: 98.. doi: 10.1186/s12870-015-0481-x.
- Wicke, S, and Schneeweiss, GM. . “Next generation organellar genomics: Potentials and pitfalls of high-throughput technologies for molecular evolutionary studies and plant systematics.” in Next generation sequencing in plant systematics, Regnum Vegetabile, edited by E Hörandl and M Appelhans. Koenigstein: Koeltz. doi: 10.14630/000002.
- Wicke, S, Schäferhoff, B, dePamphilis, CW, and Müller, KF. . “Disproportional plastome-wide increase of substitution rates and relaxed purifying selection in genes of carnivorous Lentibulariaceae.” Molecular Biology and Evolution 31 (3): 529–545. doi: 10.1093/molbev/mst261.
- Wicke, S, Müller, KF, dePamphilis, CW, Quandt, D, Wickett, NJ, Zhang, Y, Renner, SS, and Schneeweiss, GM. . “Mechanisms of functional and physical genome reduction in photosynthetic and nonphotosynthetic parasitic plants of the broomrape family.” The Plant Cell 25: 3711–3725. doi: 10.1105/tpc.113.113373.
- Wicke, S. . “Genomic evolution in Orobanchaceae.” in Parasitic Orobanchaceae - Parasitic Mechanisms and Control Strategies , edited by DM Joel, J Gressel and LJ Musselman. Berlin Heidelberg: Springer VDI Verlag. doi: 10.1007/978-3-642-38146-1_15.
- Damayanti, L, Muñoz, J, Wicke, S, Symmank, L, Shaw, B, Frahm, J-P, and Quandt, D. . “Common but new: Bartramia rosamrosiae, a 'new' widespread species of apple mosses (Bartramiales, Bryophytina) from the Mediterranean and western North America.” Phytotaxa 73: 37–59.
- Wicke, S, Costa, A, Muñoz, J, and Quandt, D. . “Restless 5S: The re-arrangement(s) and evolution of the nuclear ribosomal DNA in land plants.” Molecular Phylogenetics and Evolution 61 (2): 321–332. doi: 10.1016/j.ympev.2011.06.023.
- Wicke, S, Schneeweiss, GM, dePamphilis, CW, Müller, KF, and Quandt, D. . “The evolution of the plastid chromosome in land plants: gene content, gene order, gene function.” Plant Molecular Biology 76 (3-5): 273–297. doi: 10.1007/s11103-011-9762-4.
- Preußing, M, Olsson, S, Schäfer-Verwimp, A, Wickett, NJ, Wicke, S, Quandt, D, and Nebel, M. . “New insights in the evolution of the liverwort family Aneuraceae (Metzgeriales, Marchantiophyta), with emphasis on the genus Lobatiriccardia.” Taxon 59 (5): 1424–1440.
- Wicke, S, and Quandt, D. . “Universal primers for the amplification of the plastid trnK/matK region in land plants.” Anales del Jardín Botánico de Madrid 66 (2): 285–288. doi: 10.3989/ajbm.2231.