Dr Philip Brewer
ARC Ext-Funded Rsch Fellow (C)
School of Agriculture, Food and Wine
Faculty of Sciences, Engineering and Technology
Eligible to supervise Masters and PhD - email supervisor to discuss availability.
Phil Brewer has joined the Centre for Plant Energy Biology at the University of Adelaide Waite Campus as an Australian Research Council Future Fellow. Phil’s research interest involves how plant hormones help plants to respond to changed growth conditions.
Dr Phil Brewer's recent research has focused on strigolactone production and action, particularly how that relates to auxin and the transport of auxin. Strigolactones are regulators of shoot branching, root architecture and plant-fungi symbiosis. They help plants cope with sub-optimal growth conditions, such as low nutrients, shading, cold, drought and salinity, and attack from pathogens or parasitic weeds. Strigolactones seem to function directly in responsive plant tissues through regulating gene expression. However, they also display a distinctive non-transcriptional inhibition of auxin transporters. A key research aim for Dr Brewer is to uncover the mechanism of strigolactone action on auxin transport, and how this may affect root architecture in Arabidopsis and barley.
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Appointments
Date Position Institution name 2019 - 2022 ARC Future Fellow University of Adelaide 2016 - 2018 Research Grants and Business Development Officer Charles Darwin University 2007 - 2015 Postdoctoral Research Fellow University of Queensland 2004 - 2006 Postdoctoral Research Fellow University of Tübingen 2003 - 2004 Postdoctoral Research Fellow Monash University -
Education
Date Institution name Country Title 1999 - 2003 Monash University Australia PhD 1998 - 1998 University of Melbourne Australia Bachelor of Science Honours 1992 - 1992 Monash University Australia Graduate Diploma in Education 1988 - 1990 Royal Melbourne Institute of Technology University Australia Bachelor of Applied Biology -
Research Interests
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Journals
Year Citation 2023 Kelly, J. H., Tucker, M. R., & Brewer, P. B. (2023). The Strigolactone Pathway Is a Target for Modifying Crop Shoot Architecture and Yield. Biology, 12(1), 1-14.
Scopus1 Europe PMC12023 Hellens, A. M., Chabikwa, T. G., Fichtner, F., Brewer, P. B., & Beveridge, C. A. (2023). Identification of new potential downstream transcriptional targets of the strigolactone pathway including glucosinolate biosynthesis.. Plant Direct, 7(3), e486.
WoS12022 Fichtner, F., Barbier, F. F., Kerr, S. C., Dudley, C., Cubas, P., Turnbull, C., . . . Beveridge, C. A. (2022). Plasticity of bud outgrowth varies at cauline and rosette nodes in Arabidopsis thaliana. Plant physiology, 188(3), 1586-1603.
Scopus1 WoS2 Europe PMC12021 Yoneyama, K., & Brewer, P. B. (2021). Strigolactones, how are they synthesized to regulate plant growth and development?. Current Opinion in Plant Biology, 63, 102072-1-10072-9.
Scopus33 WoS34 Europe PMC152020 Yoneyama, K., Akiyama, K., Brewer, P. B., Mori, N., Kawano-Kawada, M., Haruta, S., . . . Nomura, T. (2020). Hydroxyl carlactone derivatives are predominant strigolactones in Arabidopsis. Plant Direct, 4(5), e00219-1-e00219-14.
Scopus33 WoS32 Europe PMC182020 Zhang, J., Mazur, E., Balla, J., Gallei, M., Kalousek, P., Medveďová, Z., . . . Friml, J. (2020). Strigolactones inhibit auxin feedback on PIN-dependent auxin transport canalization.. Nat Commun, 11(1), 3508.
Scopus39 WoS31 Europe PMC242020 Marzec, M., Situmorang, A., Brewer, P. B., & Brąszewska, A. (2020). Diverse roles of MAX1 homologues in rice. Genes, 11(11), 1-33.
Scopus6 WoS6 Europe PMC52019 Marzec, M., & Brewer, P. (2019). Binding or Hydrolysis? How Does the Strigolactone Receptor Work?. Trends in Plant Science, 24(7), 571-574.
Scopus19 WoS18 Europe PMC82019 Chabikwa, T. G., Brewer, P. B., & Beveridge, C. A. (2019). Initial bud outgrowth occurs independent of auxin flow from out of buds. Plant Physiology, 179(1), 55-65.
Scopus36 WoS33 Europe PMC172019 Carvalhais, L. C., Rincon-Florez, V. A., Brewer, P. B., Beveridge, C. A., Dennis, P. G., & Schenk, P. M. (2019). The ability of plants to produce strigolactones affects rhizosphere community composition of fungi but not bacteria. Rhizosphere, 9, 18-26.
Scopus39 WoS352016 Kameoka, H., Dun, E., Lopez-Obando, M., Brewer, P., de Saint Germain, A., Rameau, C., . . . Kyozuka, J. (2016). Phloem transport of the receptor DWARF14 protein is required for full function of strigolactones. Plant Physiology, 172(3), 1844-1852.
Scopus24 WoS24 Europe PMC162016 Brewer, P., Yoneyama, K., Filardo, F., Meyers, E., Scaffidi, A., Frickey, T., . . . Beveridge, C. (2016). Lateral branching oxidoreductase acts in the final stages of strigolactone biosynthesis in Arabidopsis. Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America, 113(22), 6301-6306.
Scopus154 WoS147 Europe PMC1012015 Brewer, P., Dun, E., Gui, R., Mason, M., & Beveridge, C. (2015). Strigolactone inhibition of branching independent of polar auxin transport. Plant Physiology, 168(4), 1820-1829.
Scopus67 WoS65 Europe PMC422015 Brewer, P. B. (2015). Plant architecture: The long and the short of branching in potato. Current Biology, 25(16), R724-R725.
Scopus5 WoS5 Europe PMC42013 Perkins, L. E., Cribb, B. W., Brewer, P. B., Hanan, J., Grant, M., de Torres, M., & Zalucki, M. P. (2013). Generalist insects behave in a jasmonatedependent manner on their host plants, leaving induced areas quickly and staying longer on distant parts. Proceedings of the Royal Society B: Biological Sciences, 280(1756), 20122646-1-20122646-9.
Scopus43 WoS44 Europe PMC202013 Brewer, P., Koltai, H., & Beveridge, C. (2013). Diverse roles of strigolactones in plant development. Molecular Plant, 6(1), 18-28.
Scopus265 WoS249 Europe PMC1632012 Mayzlish-Gati, E., De-Cuyper, C., Goormachtig, S., Beeckman, T., Vuylsteke, M., Brewer, P. B., . . . Koltai, H. (2012). Strigolactones are involved in root response to low phosphate conditions in arabidopsis. Plant Physiology, 160(3), 1329-1341.
Scopus158 WoS146 Europe PMC902012 Waters, M. T., Brewer, P. B., Bussell, J. D., Smith, S. M., & Beveridge, C. A. (2012). The Arabidopsis ortholog of rice DWARF27 acts upstream of MAX1 in the control of plant development by strigolactones. Plant Physiology, 159(3), 1073-1085.
Scopus149 WoS142 Europe PMC1112012 Rasmussen, A., Mason, M. G., de Cuyper, C., Brewer, P. B., Herold, S., Agusti, J., . . . Beveridge, C. A. (2012). Strigolactones suppress adventitious rooting in arabidopsis and pea. Plant Physiology, 158(4), 1976-1987.
Scopus232 WoS221 Europe PMC1582012 Kaplan-Levy, R., Brewer, P., Quon, T., & Smyth, D. (2012). The trihelix family of transcription factors - light, stress and development. Trends in Plant Science, 17(3), 163-171.
Scopus138 WoS131 Europe PMC862012 Agusti, J., Herold, S., Schwarz, M., Sanchez, P., Ljung, K., Dun, E. A., . . . Greb, T. (2012). Erratum: Strigolactone signaling is required for auxin-dependent stimulation of secondary growth in plants (Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences United States of America (2011) 108, (20242-20247) DOI: 10.1073/pnas.1111902108). Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America, 109(35), 14277.
Scopus4 WoS32011 Agusti, J., Herold, S., Schwarz, M., Sanchez, P., Ljung, K., Dun, E. A., . . . Greb, T. (2011). Strigolactone signaling is required for auxin-dependent stimulation of secondary growth in plants. Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America, 108(50), 20242-20247.
Scopus277 WoS259 Europe PMC1822011 Zhang, J., Vanneste, S., Brewer, P. B., Michniewicz, M., Grones, P., Kleine-Vehn, J., . . . Friml, J. (2011). Inositol trisphosphate-induced ca<sup>2+</sup> signaling modulates auxin transport and pin polarity. Developmental Cell, 20(6), 855-866.
Scopus95 WoS89 Europe PMC682009 Dun, E. A., Brewer, P. B., & Beveridge, C. A. (2009). Strigolactones: discovery of the elusive shoot branching hormone. Trends in Plant Science, 14(7), 364-372.
Scopus203 WoS183 Europe PMC1162009 Brewer, P. B., Dun, E. A., Ferguson, B. J., Rameau, C., & Beveridge, C. A. (2009). Strigolactone acts downstream of auxin to regulate bud outgrowth in pea and arabidopsis. Plant Physiology, 150(1), 482-493.
Scopus307 WoS288 Europe PMC1982008 Kleine-Vehn, J., Łangowski, Ł., Wiśniewska, J., Dhonukshe, P., Brewer, P. B., & Friml, J. (2008). Cellular and molecular requirements for polar PIN targeting and transcytosis in plants. Molecular Plant, 1(6), 1056-1066.
Scopus100 WoS99 Europe PMC842008 Gomez-Roldan, V., Fermas, S., Brewer, P. B., Puech-Pagès, V., Dun, E. A., Pillot, J. P., . . . Rochange, S. F. (2008). Strigolactone inhibition of shoot branching. Nature, 455(7210), 189-194.
Scopus1550 WoS1456 Europe PMC9212008 Kleine-Vehn, J., Dhonukshe, P., Sauer, M., Brewer, P. B., Wiśniewska, J., Paciorek, T., . . . Friml, J. (2008). ARF GEF-Dependent Transcytosis and Polar Delivery of PIN Auxin Carriers in Arabidopsis. Current Biology, 18(7), 526-531.
Scopus202 WoS199 Europe PMC1642007 Michniewicz, M., Brewer, P. B., & Friml, J. Í. (2007). Polar auxin transport and asymmetric auxin distribution.. The arabidopsis book, 5, e0108.
Europe PMC422007 Vieten, A., Sauer, M., Brewer, P. B., & Friml, J. (2007). Molecular and cellular aspects of auxin-transport-mediated development. Trends in Plant Science, 12(4), 160-168.
Scopus267 WoS251 Europe PMC1872006 Tanaka, H., Dhonukshe, P., Brewer, P. B., & Friml, J. (2006). Spatiotemporal asymmetric auxin distribution: A means to coordinate plant development. Cellular and Molecular Life Sciences, 63(23), 2738-2754.
Scopus290 WoS275 Europe PMC2092006 Wisniewska, J., Xu, J., Seifartová, D., Brewer, P. B., Růžička, K., Blilou, L., . . . Friml, J. (2006). Polar PIN localization directs auxin flow in plants. Science, 312(5775), 883.
Scopus678 WoS650 Europe PMC4822006 Hejátko, J., Blilou, I., Brewer, P. B., Friml, J., Scheres, B., & Benková, E. (2006). In situ hybridization technique for mRNA detection in whole mount Arabidopsis samples. Nature Protocols, 1(4), 1939-1946.
Scopus117 WoS117 Europe PMC852006 Brewer, P. B., Heisler, M. G., Hejátko, J., Friml, J., & Benková, E. (2006). In situ hybridization for mRNA detection in Arabidopsis tissue sections. Nature Protocols, 1(3), 1462-1467.
Scopus56 WoS51 Europe PMC382004 Brewer, P. B., Howles, P. A., Dorian, K., Griffith, M. E., Ishida, T., Kaplan-Levy, R. N., . . . Smyth, D. R. (2004). PETAL LOSS, a trihelix transcription factor gene, regulates perianth architecture in the Arabidopsis flower. Development, 131(16), 4035-4045.
Scopus123 WoS115 Europe PMC822003 Takebayashi, N., Brewer, P. B., Newbigin, E., & Uyenoyama, M. K. (2003). Patterns of Variation Within Self-Incompatibility Loci. Molecular Biology and Evolution, 20(11), 1778-1794.
Scopus41 WoS44 Europe PMC35- Fichtner, F., Barbier, F. F., Kerr, S. C., Dudley, C., Cubas, P., Turnbull, C., . . . Beveridge, C. A. (n.d.). Different plasticity of bud outgrowth at cauline and rosette nodes in <i>Arabidopsis thaliana</i>.
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Book Chapters
Year Citation 2022 Brewer, P. B. (2022). Emerging roles of strigolactones in plant responses toward biotic stress. In M. Naeem, & T. Aftab (Eds.), Emerging Plant Growth Regulators in Agriculture: Roles in Stress Tolerance (pp. 205-214). London, United Kingdom: Elsevier.
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ARC Future Fellowship, Targeting root architecture to improve plant production in sub-optimal soil, $763,527, 2019-2022
ARC Discovery Project, New plant development discoveries stem from strigolactone research, $320,000, 2011-2013
ARC Discovery Project, To move or not to move: Are insect movement strategies driven by plant-induced defences?, $720,000, 2010-2012
The majority of Dr Brewer's employment activity is in research. However, Dr Brewer is an enthusiastic teacher and is regularly involved in teaching, particularly at Higher Degree Research levels.
Dr Brewer may have projects available for Higher Degree Research on the topic of plant hormones. His projects regularly address fundamental research questions in plant biology and applied research in crops and horticulture. Please contact Dr Brewer for more details.
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Current Higher Degree by Research Supervision (University of Adelaide)
Date Role Research Topic Program Degree Type Student Load Student Name 2023 Co-Supervisor Ecological architecture in spatial biophilic design: impact on human health and mood Doctor of Philosophy under a Jointly-awarded Degree Agreement with Doctorate Full Time Mr John Longo Masengo 2022 Co-Supervisor Metabolic Engineering of Industrial Hemp (Cannabis sativa L.) Using Traditional and Molecular Approaches Doctor of Philosophy Doctorate Full Time Mr Saber Sohrabi 2022 Principal Supervisor Harnessing hormonal signalling pathways to improve plant architecture and growth response. Doctor of Philosophy Doctorate Full Time Mr Jack Henry Kelly 2021 Principal Supervisor Improving doubled haploid production in Brassica napus L. by better understanding chromosomal doubling and embryo initiation. Doctor of Philosophy Doctorate Part Time Miss Kaat Lut K Devriendt 2020 Co-Supervisor Molecular and phenotypic characterisation of synthetic auxin
herbicide-tolerant pulse germplasmDoctor of Philosophy Doctorate Full Time Mr Simon Frederick Michelmore
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