Dr. Franck Ditengou

Franck holds a PhD in Plant biology and Forestry obtained at the University of Nancy (France) in 2000. After a first post-doc at the “Institut National de la Recherche Agronomique (INRA)” in Nancy, he joined the team of  Prof. Dr. Klaus Palme at University of Freiburg in 2002. In 2007, he was appointed as lecturer (Akademische Rat) and obtained his Habilitation (Post doctoral qualification enabling to apply for full Professor positions) in Plant Physiology in 2015. From 2015 to 2017, he worked as a group leader at the Institute of Biology II, in the Department of Plant Molecular Physiology at the University of Freiburg before he joined our team in frame of the ENSA project

His research focuses on plant-environment interactions. Particularly, the communication between plants and soil fungi prior to symbiosis establishment, the impact of mechanical stimuli on root system architecture and the molecular mechanisms regulating plant response to gravity and microgravity. It is in this context that Franck coordinated several parabolic flight and sounding rockets campaigns during which multiscale analyses of plant development under various gravitational environments were performed. The results of these studies serve as basis for the development of procedures and methods for selecting plants capable of growing in alien environments.

Since December 2017, Franck has joined our group as part of the ENSA project. He will focus on the characterization of the initial steps of the rhizobial infection.


SELECTED PUBLICATIONS

¥ Corresponding author
* Equally contributing first author.

Liang P, Schmitz C, Lace B, Ditengou FA, Su C, Schulze E, Knerr J, Grosse R, Keller J, Libourel C, Delaux PM, Ott T (2021)
Formin-mediated bridging of cell wall, plasma membrane, and cytoskeleton in symbiotic infections of Medicago truncatula
Current Biology; https://doi.org/10.1016/j.cub.2021.04.002
pre-print deposited at: bioRxiv; https://doi.org/10.1101/2020.07.10.197160

Montiel J, Reid DE, Grønbæk TH, Mølsted Benfeldt C, James EK, Ott T, Ditengou FA, Nadzieja M, Kelly S, Stougaard J (2020).
Distinct signalling routes mediates intercellular and intracellular rhizobial infection in Lotus japonicus
bioRxiv; doi:10.1101/2020.05.29.124313

Su C, Klein ML, Hernandez-Reyes C, Batzenschlager M, Ditengou FA, Lace B, Keller J, Delaux PM, Ott T (2020).
The Medicago truncatula DREPP protein triggers microtubule fragmentation in membrane nanodomains during symbiotic infections
Plant Cell; 32 (5) 1357-1358
pre-print deposited at: bioRxiv, https://doi.org/10.1101/794008

Dóczi, R., Hatzimasoura, E., Farahi Bilooei S., Ahmad, Z., Ditengou, FA., López-Juez, E., Palme, K and  Bögre L (2019).
The MKK7-MPK6 MAP Kinase Module Is a Regulator of Meristem Quiescence or Active Growth in Arabidopsis.
Frontiers in Plant Science 10. DOI: 10.3389/fpls.2019.00202

Nziengui, H., Lasok, H., Kochersperger, P., Ruperti, B., Rebeillé, F., Palme, K and Ditengou, FA¥ (2018).
Root Gravitropism Is Regulated by a Crosstalk between para-Aminobenzoic Acid, Ethylene, and Auxin
Plant Physiology 178, 1370-1389. DOI: 10.1104/pp.18.00126.

Jiang, J., Rodriguez Furlan, C., Wang, JZ., De Souza, A., Ke, H., Pasternak, T., Lasok, H., Ditengou, FA., Palme, K. and Dehesh, K. (2018).
Interplay of the two ancient metabolites, auxin and MEcPP, regulates adaptive growth.
Nature Communications 2262. doi: 10.1038/s41467-018-04708-5.

Mohammed, B., Bilooei, SF., Dóczi, R., Grove, E., Railo. S., Palme, K., Ditengou FA¥, Bögre, L and Lopez-Juez, E. (2018).
Converging energy and hormonal signalling control meristem activity, leaf initiation and growth.
Plant Physiology. https://doi.org/10.1104/pp.17.01730.

Dory M., Hatzimasoura E., Kállai B.M., Nagy S.K., Jäger K., Darula Z., Nádai T.V., Mészáros T., Lopez Juez E., Barnabás B., Palme K., Bögre L., Ditengou, F.A. ¥  and Dóczi R. (2017).
Co-evolving MAPK and PID Phosphosites Indicate an Ancient Environmental Control of PIN Auxin Transporters in Land Plants.
FEBS letter. DOI: 10.1002/1873-3468.12929.

Wang, H., Li, X., Krause, L., Görög, M., Schüler, O., Hauslage, J., Hemmersbach, R., Kircher, S., Lasok, H., Haser, T., Rapp, K., Schmidt, J., Yu, X., Pasternak, T., Aubry-Hivet, D., Tietz, O., Dovzhenko, A., Palme, K. and Ditengou, F.A. ¥ (2015).
2-D Clinostat for Simulated Microgravity Experiments with Arabidopsis Seedlings.
Microgravity Science and Technology, 1-8. DOI: 10.1007/s12217-015-9478-1.

Ditengou F.A. ¥, Gomes, D., Nziengui, H., Kochersperger, P., Lasok, H., Medeiros, V., Paponov, I., Rapp, K., Qi. L., Becker, C., Li, C., Palme, K. (2017).
Characterization of auxin transporter PIN6 plasma membrane targeting reveals a function for PIN6 in plant bolting.
New Phytologist. DOI:10.1111/nph.14923

Ditengou F.A., Muller A., Rosenkranz M., Felten J., Lasok H., van Doorn M.M., Legue V., Palme K., Schnitzler J.P., Polle A. (2015).
Volatile signalling by sesquiterpenes from ectomycorrhizal fungi reprogrammes root architecture.
Nature Communications 6: 6279. DOI: 10.1038/ncomms7279.

Rigas S., Ditengou F.A*, Ljung K., Daras G., Tietz O., Palme K., Hatzopoulos P. (2013).
Root gravitropism and root hair development constitute coupled developmental responses regulated by auxin homeostasis in the Arabidopsis root apex.
New Phytologist 197: 1130-1141. DOI: 10.1111/nph.12092

Tsugeki, R., Ditengou, F.A., Sumi, Y., Teale, W., Palme, K., Okada, K. (2009).
NO VEIN mediates auxin-dependent specification and patterning in the Arabidopsis embryo, shoot, and root.
Plant Cell. 21: 3133-51. DOI: 10.1105/tpc.109.068841.

Ditengou, F.A. ¥, Teale, W.D., Kochersperger, P., Flittner, K.A., Kneuper, I., van der Graaff, E., Nziengui, H., Pinosa, F., Li, X., Nitschke, R., Laux, T., Palme, K. (2008).
Mechanical induction of lateral root initiation in Arabidopsis thaliana.
Proc Natl Acad Sci USA 105: 18818-23. DOI: 10.1073/pnas.0807814105.


PATENTS

Ditengou Franck Anicet, Ditengou Beata, Philip Kochersperger, Klaus Palme. Compounds Promoting Plant growth. PCT/EP2014/058214.