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Prof. Dr. Christian Schmitz-Linneweber

Portrait of Christan Schmitz-Linneweber

Molecular Genetics Group

The Molecular Genetics Group focuses on understanding the intricacies of gene expression in chloroplasts and mitochondria of plants and Apicomplexa, mediated by nuclear-encoded factors, particularly RNA binding proteins. This area of study is pivotal for elucidating the mechanisms behind the assembly and function of the photosynthetic machinery and the mitochondrial respiratory chain. 

Despite extensive research spanning over 30 years in the field of chloroplast gene expression, significant gaps remain in our knowledge, particularly concerning the rate-limiting steps in chloroplast gene expression critical for the biogenesis and maintenance of photosynthetic and respiratory apparatuses. The laboratory is dedicated to identifying these crucial regulatory steps, advancing our understanding of cellular bioenergetics.

Their research is currently focused on the following questions:

  • How and why do nuclear-encoded RNA binding proteins (RBPs) interact with chloroplast and mitochondrial nucleic acids?
  • Why are RBPs in particular relevant during cold acclimation?
  • What is the role of phase-separation of organellar RBPs?
  • Ribonomics: whole transcriptome identification of RNA targets of RBPs (RIP-Seq, eCLIP)
  • Analysis of the identity and processing status of individual RNAs
  • Analysis of liquid-liquid phase separation of plant organellar RBPs
  • STED microscopy in plants
  • Plant genetic engineering: chloroplast transformation (tobacco), nuclear transformation (Arabidopsis and tobacco)

Current position

2012 - present Full Professor of Molecular Genetics at the Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin (DE)

Positions held 

2006 - 2012 Junior Professor Molecular Genetics at the Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin (DE)
2005 - 2010 Emmy Noether research group leader at the Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin (DE)
2004 - 2005

Postdoctoral Researcher at URGV, INRA/CNRS, Evry (FR)
2003 - 2004 DFG-Postdoctoral Researcher at the University of Oregon, Eugene (US)

Academic Education

1998 - 2002 Doctoral Degree in Molecular Botany at the LMU Munich (DE)
1992 - 1998 Diploma in Biology at the Universities Münster (DE), University of Oregon (USA), Tübingen (DE)

Honors/Awards/Fellowships

2005 Emmy Noether Young Investigator
2003 - 2005 DFG fellowship; University of Oregon, USA / CNRS-INRA Evry, France
2000 Peter Sitte Award of the International Society for Endocytobiology

DFG-funded projects

2022 - present SPP 2191 - “Molecular Mechanisms of Functional Phase Separation”
2020 - present Collaborative Research Grant DFG-”Sequencing Cost program” - “RNA turnover in plant stress responses”
2019 - 2023 SPP 1935 - “Deciphering the mRNP code: RNA-bound determinants of post-transcriptional gene regulation”
2016 - present TRR 175 - “The Green Hub: Central Coordinator of Acclimation in Plants”
2017 - 2022 GRK 2290 - “Crossing Boundaries: Molecular Interactions in Malaria”
2008 - 2010 SFB 429 - “Molecular Physiology, Energetics, and Regulation of Primary Metabolism in Plants”

Selected activities

2022 - present SPP 2191 - “Molecular Mechanisms of Functional Phase Separation”
2020 - present Collaborative Research Grant DFG-”Sequencing Cost program” - “RNA turnover in plant stress responses”
2019 - 2023 SPP 1935 - “Deciphering the mRNP code: RNA-bound determinants of post-transcriptional gene regulation”
2016 - present TRR 175 - “The Green Hub: Central Coordinator of Acclimation in Plants”
2017 - 2022 GRK 2290 - “Crossing Boundaries: Molecular Interactions in Malaria”
2008 - 2010 SFB 429 - “Molecular Physiology, Energetics, and Regulation of Primary Metabolism in Plants”
   

Selected publications

  • Legen J, Lenzen B, Kachariya N, Feltgen S, Gao Y, Mergenthal S, Weber W, Klotzsch E, Zoschke R, Sattler M, Schmitz-Linneweber C. The prion-like domain of the chloroplast RNA binding protein CP29A is required for cold-induced phase separation next to nucleoids and supports RNA splicing and translation during cold acclimation. bioRxiv (2023) doi: 10.1101/2023.09.29.560215
  • Small I, Melonek J, Bohne AV, Nickelsen J, Schmitz-Linneweber C. Plant organellar RNA maturation. Plant Cell. 2023 May 29;35(6):1727-1751. doi: 10.1093/plcell/koad049. 
  • Okuzaki A, Rühle T, Leister D, Schmitz-Linneweber C. The acidic domain of the chloroplast RNA-binding protein CP31A supports cold tolerance in Arabidopsis thaliana. J Exp Bot. 2021 Jun 22;72(13):4904-4914. doi: 10.1093/jxb/erab165.