Plants rely on sophisticated mechanisms to interpret the constant bombardment of incoming signals so they can adjust their growth accordingly. The environmental cues of gravity and light are particularly important in terms of plant development. In my laboratory, we are interested in the cellular and molecular mechanisms of gravitropism and phototropism (directed growth in response to gravity and light, respectively). In the gravitropism project, we have been studying how statoliths (structures that function in graviperception) interact with the cytoskeleton in gravitropic signal transduction. In terms of phototropism, we have been examining the role of the photosensitive pigment phytochrome in the regulation of this process in both roots and stem-like organs.

Our experiments on gravitropism have been part of a spaceflight project on the Space Shuttle, and we have additional experiments in development for the International Space Station. Some of our research also involves the use of the Electron Microscopy Facility at Miami University. Most recently, we have been using microarray technology to analyze gene expression profiles during various tropisms. Our long-term goals include understanding of how plants integrate sensory input from multiple light and gravity perception systems.

Molas M.L., J.Z. Kiss. 2009. Phototropism and gravitropism in plants. Advances in Botanical Research 49:1-34.

Molas M.L., J.Z. Kiss. 2008. PKS1 plays a role in red-light-based positive phototropism in roots. Plant Cell Environment 31:842–849.

Kumar N.S., M.H.H. Stevens, J.Z. Kiss. 2008. Plastid movement in statocytes of the arg1 (altered response to gravity) mutant. American Journal of Botany 95:177–184.

Kiss J.Z. 2007. Where’s the water? – Hydrotropism in plants. Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences (USA) 104: 4247-4248.

Kiss J.Z. 2006. Up, down, and all around: how plants sense and respond to environmental stimuli. Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences (USA) 103: 829–830.

Molas M.L., J.Z. Kiss, M.J. Correll. 2006. Gene profiling of the red-light signaling pathways in roots. Journal of Experimental Botany 57:3217–3229.

Kumar P., J.Z. Kiss. 2006. Modulation of phototropism by phytochrome E and attenuation of gravitropism by phytochromes B and E in inflorescence stems. Physiologia Plantarum 127: 304-311.

Palmieri M., J.Z. Kiss. 2005. Disruption of the F-actin cytoskeleton limits statolith movement in Arabidopsis hypocotyls. Journal of Experimental Botany 56: 2539-2550.

Kiss H.G., J.Z. Kiss. 2005. Sensing red, white, and blue - using spores of the sensitive fern to introduce important concepts in biology. American Biology Teacher 67: 549-555.

Correll M.J., J.Z. Kiss. 2005. The roles of phytochromes in elongation and gravitropism of roots. Plant and Cell Physiology 46: 317-323.

Correll M.J., R.E. Edelmann, R.P. Hangarter, J.L. Mullen, J.Z. Kiss. 2005. Ground-based studies of tropisms in hardware developed for the European Modular Cultivation System (EMCS). Advances in Space Research 36: 1203-1210.

Lucas, S.Y., J.Z. Kiss. 2004. Roots of Nicotiana sylvestris lack phototropism. International Journal of Plant Sciences 165: 565-570.

Kiss J.Z., J.L Mullen, M.J Correll, R.P Hangarter. 2003. Phytochromes A and B mediate red-light-induced positive phototropism in roots. Plant Physiology 131:1411-1417.

Correll M.J., K.M. Coveney, S.V. Raines, J.L. Mullen, R.P. Hangarter, J.Z. Kiss. 2003. Phytochromes play a role in phototropism and gravitropism in Arabidopsis roots. Advances in Space Research 31:2203-2210.

Correll M.J, J.Z. Kiss. 2002. Interactions between gravitropism and phototropism in plants. Journal of Plant Growth Regulation 21:89-101.

Yamamoto K., Pyke K.A., J.Z. Kiss. 2002. Reduced gravitropism in inflorescence stems and hypocotyls, but not roots, of Arabidopsis mutants with large plastids. Physiologia Plantarum 114:627-636.

Kiss J.Z., K.M. Miller, L.A. Ogden, K.K. Roth. 2002. Phototropism and gravitropism in lateral roots of Arabidopsis. Plant and Cell Physiology 43:35-43.

Yamamoto K. J.Z. Kiss. 2002. Disruption of the actin cytoskeleton results in the promotion of gravitropism in inflorescence stems and hypocotyls of Arabidopsis. Plant Physiology 128: 669-681

Fitzelle K.J., J.Z. Kiss. 2001. Restoration of gravitropic sensitivity in starch-deficient mutants of Arabidopsis by hypergravity. Journal of Experimental Botany 52: 265-275.

Ruppel N.J., R.P. Hangarter, J.Z. Kiss. 2001. Red-light-induced positive phototropism in Arabidopsis roots. Planta 212: 424-430.

Kiss J.Z. 2000. Mechanisms of the early phases of plant gravitropism. Critical Reviews in Plant Sciences 19:551:573.

Kraft T.F.B., J.J.W.A van Loon., J.Z. Kiss. 2000. Plastid position in Arabidopsis columella cells is similar in microgravity and on a random positioning machine. Planta 211: 415-422.

Weise S.E., Kuznetsov O.A., Hasenstein K.H., J.Z. Kiss. 2000. Curvature in Arabidopsis inforescence stems is limited to the region of amyloplast displacement. Plant and Cell Physiology 41: 702-709.

Kiss J.Z., E. Brinckmann, C. Brillouet. 2000. Development and growth of several strains of Arabidopsis seedlings in microgravity. International Journal of Plant Sciences 161:5562.

Guisinger M.M., J.Z. Kiss. 1999. The influence of microgravity and spaceflight on columella cell ultrastructure in starch-deficient mutants of Arabidopsis. American Journal of Botany 86: 1357-1366.

Weise S.E., J.Z. Kiss. 1999. Gravitropism of inflorescence stems in starch- deficient mutants of Arabidopsis. International Journal of Plant Sciences 160: 521-527.

Kiss J.Z., R.E. Edelmann, P.C. Wood. 1999. Gravitropism of hypocotyls of wild-type and starch-deficient Arabidopsis seedlings in spaceflight studies. Planta 209: 96-103.

MacCleery S.A, J.Z. Kiss. 1999. Plastid sedimentation kinetics in roots of wild-type and starch-deficient mutants of Arabidopsis. Plant Physiology 120: 183-192.

Swatzell L.J., R.E. Edelmann, C.A. Makaroff, J.Z. Kiss. 1999. Integrin-like proteins are localized to membrane fractions, not plastids, in Arabidopsis. Plant and Cell Physiology 40: 173-183.

Katembe W.J., R.E. Edelmann, E. Brinckmann, J.Z. Kiss. 1998. The development of spaceflight experiments with Arabidopsis as a model system in gravitropism studies. Journal of Plant Research 111:463-470.

Kiss H.G., J.Z. Kiss. 1998. Spore germination in populations of Schizaea pusilla from New Jersey and Nova Scotia. International Journal of Plant Sciences 159:848-852.

Kiss J.Z., W.J. Katembe, R.E. Edelmann. 1998. Gravitropism and development of wild-type and starch-deficient mutants of Arabidopsis during spaceflight. Physiologia Plantarum 102:493-502.

Kiss J.Z., M.M. Guisinger, A.J. Miller. 1998. What is the threshold amount of starch necessary for full gravitropic sensitivity? Advances in Space Research 21:1197-1202.

Kiss, J.Z., M.A. Guisinger, A.J. Miller, K.S. Stackhouse. 1997. Reduced gravitropism in hypocotyls of starch-deficient mutants of Arabidopsis. Plant and Cell Physiology 38:518-525.

Kiss, J.Z. 1997. Gravitropism in the rhizoids of the alga Chara: a model system for microgravity research. Biological Bulletin 192:134-136.

Katembe, W.J., L.J. Swatzell, C.A. Makaroff, and J.Z. Kiss. 1997. Immunolocalization of integrin-like proteins in Arabidopsis and Chara. Physiologia Plantarum 99:7-14.

Kiss, J.Z., T. Caspar, and J.B. Wright. 1996. Gravitropism in roots of intermediate-starch mutants of Arabidopsis. Physiologia Plantarum 97:237-244.

Swatzell, L.J., M.J. Powell, and J.Z. Kiss. 1996. The relationship of endophytic fungi to the gametophyte of the fern Schizaea pusilla. Intl J. of Plant Sciences 157:53-62.

Wang-Cahill, F. and J.Z. Kiss. 1995. The statolith compartment in Chara rhizoids contains carbohydrate and protein. American J. of Botany 82:220-229.

Kiss, J.Z., F. Wang-Cahill, H.G. Kiss. 1995. The ultrastructure of the early development of Schizaea pusilla gametophytes. Int. J. of Plant Sciences 156:131-142.

Kiss, J.Z. 1994. Negative phototropism in young gametophytes of the fern Schizaea pusilla. Plant, Cell and Environment 17:1339-1343.

Kiss, J. Z. 1994. The response to gravity is correlated with the number of statoliths in Chara rhizoids. Plant Physiology 105: 937-940.

Kiss, J. Z. and K. McDonald. 1993. Electron microscope immunocytochemistry following cryofixation and freeze substitution. Methods in Cell Biology 37:311-341.

Lab group at Marshall Space Center.

Lab group in Washington DC in November 2006.