MARTINA KÖNIGER
Department of Biological Sciences, Wellesley College, Wellesley, MA 02481
phone: 781-283-3031, FAX: 781-283-3642, e-mail: mkoniger@wellesley.edu
EDUCATION
Diploma in Biology, Bayerische-Julius-Maximilians-University, Würzburg, Germany, December 1988
Ph.D. in Botany, Bayerische-Julius-Maximilians-University, Würzburg, Germany, February 1992
POSITIONS HELD
Doctoral Fellowship (with Dr K Winter), Lehrstuhl für Botanik II, Bayerische-Julius-MaximiliansUniversity Würzburg, Germany, February 1989 - December 1991
Effects of suboptimal temperatures and light on the photosynthetic behavior and growth of
cotton plants
Postdoctoral Fellow (with Dr K Winter), Smithsonian Tropical Research Institute, Panama, April
1992 - March 1993
Xanthophyll-cycle pigments and photosynthesis in tropical rain forest species: a comparative
field study on canopy trees, gap and understory plants
Postdoctoral Fellow (with Dr RW Pearcy), University of California, Davis, CA, January - November
1994
Effects of light and elevated temperatures on photoinhibition in the tropical understory plant
Alocasia macrorrhiza
Adjunct Assistant Professor Wellesley College, Wellesley, MA, February 1995 Research Associate (with Dr K Peterman), Wellesley College, Wellesley, MA June 2000 – July 2001
Using GFP-fusion to study the dynamics of the localization of a novel actin binding protein
Visiting Scientist (with Dr E Schleiff), Goethe-University, Frankfurt, Germany, February 2011 – July
2011
Effects of lipids and proteins on the chloroplast envelope
GRANTS
Fiske Award 1996, 1998, 2003; NSF AIRE Curricular Development Grant 1999, 2003; Brachman
Hoffman Small Grant 2001, 2002, 2010; Faculty Research Award 2006
TEACHING EXPERIENCE
Science or Science Fiction? (BISC104, uses films and lectures to introduce students to basic
concepts in biology); Biotechnology (BISC107); Plants, People and the Environment (BISC108 lecture
and lab); Introduction to Cell Biology (BISC110 lecture and lab); Introductory Organismal Biology
(BISC111 lecture and lab); Introductory Organismal Biology, Tropical Island Biology (BISC111T
lecture and lab with a field part at the Central Caribbean Research Center); Fact or Fiction? The
portrayal of science and scientists in movies (WRIT125); Plant Biology (BISC207 lecture and lab),
Genetics (BISC219 lecture), Cellular Physiology (BISC220 lab); Seminars on Plant and Animal
Ecophysiology (BISC330); Tropical Ecology (BISC308 lecture and lab with a field portion in Belize
and Costa Rica during winter session)
PUBLICATIONS
Königer M (2013) Chloroplast movement in higher plants, ferns and bryophytes: A comparative point
of view. In: Photosynthesis of Bryophytes and early land plants. Hanson DT, Rice SK (eds) in
press
Elkehal R, Becker T, Sommer MS, Königer M, Schleiff E (2012) Specific lipids influence the import
capacity of the chloroplast outer envelope precursor protein translocon. Biochim Biophys Acta
1823(5): 1033-1040
Königer M, *Bollinger N (2012) Chloroplast movement behavior varies widely among species and does
not correlate with high light stress tolerance. Planta 236(2): 411-426
Machettira AB, Gro LE, Tillmann B, Weis BLM, Englich G, Sommer MS, Königer M, Schleiff E (2012)
Protein-induced modulation of chloroplast membrane morphology. Frontiers in Plant Science
2(118): 1-11
Königer M, *Jessen B, *Yang R, *Sittler D, Harris GC (2010) Light, genotype, and abscisic acid affect
chloroplast positioning in guard cells of Arabidopsis thaliana in distinct ways. Photosynth Res
105: 213-227
Königer M, *Delamaide JA, *Marlow ED, Harris GC (2008) Arabidopsis thaliana leaves with altered
chloroplast numbers and chloroplast movement exhibit impaired adjustments to both low and
high light. J Exp Bot 59: 2285-2297
Berg R, Königer M, *Schjeide B-M, Dikmak G, Kohler S, Harris GC (2006) A simple low-cost
microcontroller-based photometric instrument for monitoring chloroplast movement.
Photosynth Res. 87(3): 303-11
Harris GC, *Antoine V, *Chan M, *Nevidomskyte D, Königer M (2006) Seasonal changes in
photosynthesis, leaf protein composition and mineral content in Rhododendron leaves. Plant
Science 170:314-325
Königer M, *Kibler E, Harris GC (2000) Seasonal changes in the physiology of shade leaves of Acer
saccharum. J Plant Physiol 157: 627-636
Königer M, Harris GC, Pearcy RW (1998) The effects of light and elevated temperature on
photoinhibition in Alocasia macrorrhiza. Planta 205: 214-222
Harris GC, Königer M (1997) The "high" concentrations of photosynthetic carbon reduction cycle
enzymes within the stromal compartment. Photosynth Res 54: 5-23
Königer M, Harris GC, Virgo A, Winter K (1995) Xanthophyll-cycle pigments and photosynthesis in
tropical rain forest species: a comparative field study on canopy trees, gap and understory
plants. Oecologia 104: 280-290
Zotz G, Harris G, Königer M, Winter K (1995) High rates of photosynthesis in a tropical pioneer tree,
Ficus insipida. Flora 190: 1-8
Königer M, Winter K (1993) Reduction of photosynthesis in sun leaves of Gossypium hirsutum L under
conditions of high light intensities and suboptimal leaf temperatures. Agronomie 13: 659-668
Königer M, Winter K (1993) Growth and photosynthesis of Gossypium hirsutum L at high photon flux
densities: effects of soil temperatures and nocturnal air temperatures. Agronomie 13: 423-431
Königer M, Winter K (1991) Carotenoid composition and photon-use efficiency of photosynthesis in
Gossypium hirsutum L grown under conditions of slightly suboptimum leaf temperatures and
high levels of irradiance. Oecologia 87: 349-356
Winter K, Königer M (1991) Dry matter production and photosynthetic capacity in Gossypium
hirsutum L under conditions of slightly suboptimum leaf temperatures and high levels of
irradiance. Oecologia 87: 190-197
Winter K, Königer M, Lesch M (1990) Growth, photosynthesis, and pigment content in Gossypium
hirsutum under high irradiance stress. In: Proceedings, Environmental research with plants in
closed chambers, GSF München, pp 236-239
Winter K, Königer M (1989) Dithiothreitol, an inhibitor of violaxanthin de-epoxidation, increases the
susceptibility of leaves of Nerium oleander L to photoinhibition of photosynthesis. Planta 180:
24-31
Winter K, Winkelman E, Königer M (1989) Zur Rolle der Photoinhibition bei Wirkung von
Luftschadstoffen auf den Photosyntheseapparat. In: Proceedings, 1. Statusseminar der PBWU
zum Forschungsschwerpunkt Waldschaden, GSF München, pp 207-214
*undergraduate students
ADDITIONAL INFOMATION
Member of the American Society of Plant Biologists (ASPB), Ecological Society of America (ESA),
American Society of Cell Biology (ASCB)
Reviewer for Oecologia, Journal of Plant Physiology, Journal of Plant Research, Plant Science, Tree
Physiology, NSF, Prentice Hall, Freeman
Editorial Board for Frontiers in Technical Advances in Plant Science