Daniel Maag

• Research interest

  Plants and insects engage in highly dynamic interactions. In order to defend themselves against insect herbivores, for instance, plants employ a vast array of strategies such as mechanical barriers or defensive proteins that lower the nutritional value of ingested tissues. In turn, certain insect species have developed countermeasures that allow them to overcome these defence systems.

  During the course of my PhD thesis I focus on the role of benzoxazinoid derivatives for the interaction between maize plants and different pest insects. Benzoxazinoids represent the major secondary defence metabolites of many grasses including maize. In particular, I am interested in the spatiotemporal dynamics of constitutive and inducible benzoxazinoid accumulation in aboveground plant parts. A second part of my project is dedicated to the study of detoxification mechanisms of certain benzoxazinoid breakdown products in insect herbivores with distinct feeding habits. By combining different techniques such as LC-MS, NMR, real-time PCR and insect bioassays my project aims at establishing a deeper understanding of the aforementioned dynamics and how they may shape herbivore foraging patterns. Ultimately, this knowledge may translate into more resistant plant genotypes thus contributing to more sustainable crop production.

  My PhD project is embedded in an interdisciplinary research program that investigates benzoxazinoid metabolism at the plant-insect interface from different perspectives.

  During 2016 I will be looking for an interesting post-doc project in the same or a related field, preferably including the opportunity to teach.

  
  
  
• Publications

  PUBLICATIONS

  Maag D., Erb M., Bernal J.S., Wolfender J.-L., Turlings T.C.J., Glauser G. 2015. Maize domestication and anti-herbivore defences: Leaf-specific dynamics during early ontogeny of maize and its wild ancestors. PLoS ONE. doi: 10.1371/journal.pone.0135722

  Maag D., Erb M., Glauser G. 2015. Metabolomics in plant-herbivore interactions: Challenges and applications. Entomologia Experimentalis et Applicata. doi: 10.1111/eea.12336

  Maag D., Erb M., Köllner T.G., Gershenzon J. 2015. Defensive weapons and defense signals in plants: Some metabolites serve both roles. BioEssays 37(2):167-174. doi: 10.1002/bies.201400124

  Köhler A.*, Maag D.*, Veyrat N., Glauser G., Wolfender J.-L., Turlings T.C.J., Erb M. 2015. Within-plant distribution of 1,4-benzoxazin-3-ones contributes to herbivore niche differentiation in maize. Plant, Cell and Environment 38(6):1081-1093. *Equal contribution. doi: 10.1111/pce.12464

  Maag D., Dalvit C., Thevenet D., Köhler A., Wouters F.C., Vassao D.G., Gershenzon J., Wolfender J.L., Turlings T.C.J., Erb M., Glauser G. 2014. 3-ß-D-Glucopyranosyl-6-methoxy-2-benzoxazolinone (MBOA-N-Glc) is an insect detoxification product of maize 1,4-benzoxazin-3-ones. Phytochemistry 102:97-105. doi: 10.1016/j.phytochem.2014.03.018

  Maag D., Kandula, D.R.W., Müller C., Mendoza-Mendoza A., Wratten S.D., Stewart A, Rostás M. 2014. Trichoderma atroviride LU132 promotes plant growth but not induced systemic resistance to Plutella xylostella in oilseed rape. BioControl 59(2):241-252. doi: 10.1007/s10526-013-9554-7

  Rostás M., Maag D., Ikegami M., Inbar M.  2013. Gall volatiles defend aphids against a browsing mammal. BMC Evolutionary Biology 13:193. doi: 10.1186/1471-2148-13-193

   

  POSTERS & TALKS

  Maag D., Dalvit C., Thevenet D., Köhler A., Wouters F.C., Vassao D.G., Gershenzon J., Wolfender J.L., Turlings T.C.J., Erb M ., Glauser G. Spodoptera caterpillars neutralize maize chemical defenses by converting a toxic 1,4-benzoxazin-3-one breakdown product to non-toxic 3-ß-D-glucopyranosyl-6-methoxy-2-benzoxazolinone (MBOA-N-Glc). ESA 62nd Annual Meeting, Portland, OR (USA), Nov 2014 (Oral presentation)

  Maag D., Köhler A., Dalvit C., Wouters F.C., Vassao D.G., Erb M.,  Turlings T.C.J., Wolfender J.L., Glauser G.  A novel benzoxazinoid detoxification product from Spodoptera caterpillars. 32nd New Phytologist Symposium: Plant interactions with other organisms: molecules, ecology and evolution, Buenos Aires (Arg), Nov 2013 (Poster contribution)  

  Maag D., Köhler A., Glauser G., Erb M., Wolfender J.L., Turlings T.C.J. Leaf herbivore feeding patterns in maize are associated with 1,4-bezoxazinone profiles. IOBC-WPRS meeting: Induced resistance in plants against insects and diseases, Avignon (F), Jun 2013 (Poster contribution; award for best student poster)  

  Maag D., Erb M., Handrick V., Köllner T.G., Wolfender J.L., Turlings T.C.J., Glauser G. Local induction of chemical defences in maize: spatio-temporal aspects of benzoxazinone metabolism. Annual PhD students meeting of the Interuniversity Doctoral Program in Organismal Biology, Neuchâtel (Ch), May 2013 (Poster contribution)

  Maag D., Erb M., Handrick V., Köllner T.G., Wolfender J.L., Turlings T.C.J., Glauser G. Local induction of chemical defences in maize: spatio-temporal aspects of benzoxazinone metabolism. NCCR Plant Survival Final Conference: "Plant Survival: a story of sex, violence and light", NCCR (National Centre of Competence in Research) Plant Survival, Université de Neuchâtel, Neuchâtel (Ch), Jan 2013 (Poster contribution)