The Edinburgh Cell Wall Group

The Edinburgh Cell Wall Group

 The University of Edinburgh
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Anna Kärkönen

Anna Kärkönen

Personal Details
Name : Dr. Anna Kärkönen
Nationality : Finnish
Former position in group : Postdoctoral researcher, left in 2005

Current Contact Details

Anna Kärkönen, Dr.
Dept of Applied Biology
P.O. Box 27 (Latokartanonkaari 7)
FIN-00014 University of Helsinki
Finland

Email: anna.karkonen@helsinki.fi

Anna is a lecturer and group leader at the Dept. of Agricultural Sciences, P.O. Box 27, 00014 Univ. of Helsinki, Finland.
http://www.helsinki.fi/agriculturalsciences/research/karkonen/


Current Research Interests

  • H2O2 production systems in the plant cell walls
  • Lignin formation
  • UDP-glucuronic acid synthesis: UDP-glucose dehydrogenase / myo-inositol pathway

Degrees

  • PhD, Biology, Plant Physiology, University of Helsinki, 2002 (Supervisor: Prof. L.K. Simola)
    Thesis: Plant Tissue Cultures as Models for Tree Physiology: Somatic Embryogenesis of Tilia cordata and Lignin Biosynthesis in Picea abies Suspension Cultures as Case Studies. PhD thesis. Dissertationes Biocentri Viikki Universitatis Helsingiensis 2/2002. ISBN 952-10-0271-9 (paper), ISBN 952-10-0272-7. For text click here
  • M.Sc., Biology, Plant Physiology, University of Helsinki, 1994

Research

Department of Applied Biology, University of Helsinki, Finland

  • Researcher in a project funded by the Finnish Cultural Foundation: The mechanisms of H2O2 production during constitutive extracellular lignin formation and after elicitation in a suspension culture of Picea abies. 04/2005-03/2006

The University of Edinburgh, United Kingdom

  • Researcher in a project funded by the Academy of Finland: Mechanisms of H2O2 production during constitutive extracellular lignin formation and after elicitation in a suspension culture of Picea abies. 04/2004-03/2005
  • Post doc position in the Edinburgh Cell Wall Group, led by Prof. S. C. Fry in a COPOL project funded by EU: Integrated control of polysaccharide and lignin biosynthesis to improve cellulose content and availability and fibre quality, 06/2002-03/2004

Department of Biosciences, Division of Plant Physiology, University of Helsinki

  • Researcher in a project: Functional characterisation of lignin forming enzymes, 06/2001-05/2002
  • Researcher in a project: Isolation of the lignin forming enzymes and their genes in Norway spruce, 06/1998-05/2001

Department of Botany, University of Helsinki

  • Researcher in a project: Introduction of Japanese and Chinese decorative trees in Southern Finland, 05/1993-06/1995

Publications

  • Kärkönen A, Fry SC (2005) Novel characteristics of UDP-glucose dehydrogenase activities in maize: non-involvement of alcohol dehydrogenases in cell wall polysaccharide biosynthesis. Planta, in press
  • Kärkönen A, Murigneux A, Martinant JP, Pepey E, Tatout C, Dudley BJ, Fry SC (2005) UDP-glucose dehydrogenase of maize — a role in cell wall pentose biosynthesis. Biochem J, in press
  • Koutaniemi S, Toikka TM, Kärkönen A, Mustonen M, Lundell TK, Simola LK, Kilpeläinen IA, Teeri TH (2005) Characterization of basic p-coumaryl and coniferyl alcohol oxidizing peroxidases from a lignin-forming Picea abies suspension culture. Plant Mol Biol, in press
  • Kärkönen A (2005) Biosynthesis of UDP-GlcA: via UDPGDH or myo-inositol oxidation pathway? Plant Biosystems 139: 46-49
  • Kärkönen A, Koutaniemi S, Mustonen M, Syrjänen K, Brunow G, Kilpeläinen I, Teeri TH, Simola LK (2002) Lignification related enzymes in Picea abies suspension cultures. Physiol Plant 114: 343-353
  • Gustafsson M, Kärkönen A, Simola L, Teeri TH, Sipilä J, Kilpeläinen I, Brunow G (2001) β-Fluoro-coniferyl alcohol does not inhibit lignin biosynthesis in suspension cultures of Picea abies. Phytochemistry 58: 243-248
  • Kärkönen A (2000) Anatomical study of somatic and zygotic embryos of Tilia cordata. Plant Cell Tiss Org Cult 61: 205-214
  • Kärkönen A, Simola LK (1999) Localization of cytokinins in somatic and zygotic embryos of Tilia cordata using immunocytochemistry. Physiol Plant 105: 356-366
  • Kärkönen A, Simola LK, Koponen T (1999) Micropropagation of several Japanese woody plants for horticultural purposes. Ann Bot Fennici 36: 21-31
  • Kärkönen A, Simola LK (1997) Japanilaisten puuvartisten kasvien mikrolisäys: selviytyminen Suomen talvessa. (translation: Micropropagation of Japanese woody plants: survival in Finnish winter). In:Immonen S (ed) Solusta tuottavaan kasviin. Maatalouden tutkimuskeskuksen julkaisuja. Sarja A 18: 61-65

Presentations

  • Kärkönen A (2004) UDP-Glucose dehydrogenases in maize. 14th Scottish Cell Wall Meeting, Glasgow 09.06.2004
  • Kärkönen A (2003) UDP-Glucose dehydrogenase and alcohol dehydrogenase activities in maize — function of the same protein? 13th Scottish Cell Wall Meeting, Dundee 12.06.2003
  • Kärkönen A (2003) UDP-glucose dehydrogenase in maize leaves and cultured cells and its possible relationship to alcohol dehydrogenase. Scottish Plant Biology Meeting, Glasgow 10.01.2003
  • Kärkönen A, Koutaniemi S, Mustonen M, Kilpeläinen I, Teeri TH, Simola LK (2001) Lignification-related enzymes in Picea abies suspension cultures. 9th International Cell Wall Meeting ”Paroi Végétale” 2-7 September 2001, Toulouse, France. Abstracts & Programme, p. 156
  • Kärkönen A (1998) Metsälehmuksen somaattisten ja siemenalkioiden anatomisia ja immunohistokemiallisia tutkimuksia. (translation: Immunohistochemistry of somatic and zygotic embryos of Tilia cordata). Puuvartisten kasvien bioteknologiakokous 20.09.1998, Helsinki.
  • Kärkönen A (1995) Japanilaisten ja kiinalaisten puuvartisten kasvien mikrolisäys. (translation: Micropropagation of Japanese and Chinese woody plants). Puuvartisten kasvien bioteknologiakokous 17.-18.08.1995, METLA, Punkaharjun tutkimusasema

Posters

  • Kärkönen A, Koutaniemi S, Mustonen M, Kilpeläinen I, Teeri TH, Simola LK, Gustafsson M, Brunow G (2000) Fluoroconiferyl alcohol does not inhibit lignin biosynthesis in spruce suspension culture. COST E20 Workshop: Wood Fibre Cell Wall Structure, Athens, Greece, 11.-13.05.2000.
  • Kärkönen A, Koutaniemi S, Mustonen M, Kilpeläinen I, Teeri TH, Simola LK (1999) Isolation of lignin forming enzymes from Norway spruce: characterization of tissue culture peroxidases. XIX Congress of Scandinavian Society for Plant Physiology, Joensuu, 21.-24.06.1999.
  • Kärkönen A, Simola LK (1997) Immunolocalization of cytokinins and ultrastructure of somatic and zygotic embryos of Tilia cordata. Abstracts XVIII Congress of SPPS, Uppsala, Sweden, 12-17 June 1997, p. 80.
  • Simola LK, Kärkönen A (1997) Ultrastructure and histochemistry of developing seeds and somatic embryos of Tilia cordata. Abstracts Symposium on Seed Biology and Technology Applications and Advances. Fort Collins, Co, August 13-15 1997, p. 77.
  • Simola LK, Kärkönen A (1996) Ultrastructure and immunohistochemical localization of cytokinins in somatic embryos of Tilia cordata. Abstracts, Plant Embryogenesis Workshop. Hamburg, September 12-14, 1996. SII-14, p. 43.
  • Kärkönen A, Laitanen S, Koponen T, Simola LK (1994) Micropropagation of Chosenia arbutifolia from buds collected from its natural habitat. Abstracts VIIIth International Congress of Plant Tissue and Cell Culture. Firenze, June 12-17, 1994, p. 34.
  • Simola LK, Kärkönen A (1994) Cell organelles in somatic and zygotic embryos of Tilia cordata. Abstracts VIIIth International Congress of Plant Tissue and Cell Culture. Firenze, June 12-17, 1994, p. 161.


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