Research output per year
Research output per year
Personal profile
Description of research and teaching
Research
Plant health is an increasingly important issue as sufficient food security is endangered by the global climate change and growing population of the world. The research in the group focuses on the molecular mechanisms underlying Potato virus A (PVA) infection. PVA is a member of genus Potyvirus, which is economically the most devastating group of plant RNA viruses. Understanding the different stages of virus infection is a prerequisite for being able to prevent infections. The research in the group is carried out with the advanced techniques of biochemistry, and molecular and cell biology. The aims of our research are:
1) to produce novel information of the various stages of the virus multiplication cycle (protein synthesis, RNA replication, virus movement, encapsidation), and how these functions are localized and coordinated within the infected cells.
2) to tackle the disease problem caused by the genus Potyvirus, which is economically the most devastating group of plant viruses. Host factors involved in viral multiplication represent potential targets for virus control. Their identification and functional characterization is one of the major frontiers in virus research.
3) to follow viruses present on barley and oat field in Southern Finland and to study the impact of undersown cover crop plant species diversity on barley / oat viruses.
4) to exploit viruses in nanobiotechnology applications.
Teaching
I am responsible for organizing the teaching of plant pathology in Bachelor's and Master's programmes in Agricultural Sciences, in Plant Production Sciences study track. The MSc plant pathology teaching consists of courses in Fungal Plant Pathogens, Plant Pathogenic Bacteria, Plant Virology, Epidemiology and Ecology of Plant Pathogens and Plant-Microbe Interactions. The students get also training in the plant pathology research groups.
I have been an organizer and teacher on several post graduate courses on plant virology, plant-pathogen co-evolution and heterologous protein production in plants. Several doctoral students have graduated under my supervision.
Fields of Science
- 1183 Plant biology, microbiology, virology
- plant virology, potyviruses, plant pathology
- 4111 Agronomy
- Plant pathology, plant pathogen interactions
International and National Collaboration
Publications and projects within past five years.
-
Mapping and quantification of potato virus A RNA genomes within viral particles and polysomes in infected plant cells
Dutta, P. & Mäkinen, K., Feb 2025, In: Journal of Virological Methods. 332, 115066.Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › Scientific › peer-review
Open AccessFile -
Absolute and Relative Quantification of Single-Stranded Positive-Sense RNA Viruses from Plant Tissue
Dutta, P. & Mäkinen, K., 2024, Plant-Virus Interactions. Fontes, E. P. B. & Mäkinen, K. (eds.). New York: Humana press, p. 81-91 11 p. (Methods in Molecular Biology; vol. 2724).Research output: Chapter in Book/Report/Conference proceeding › Chapter › Scientific › peer-review
Open AccessFile -
The Molecular Maze of Potyviral and Host Protein Interactions
Pollari, M. E., Aspelin, W. W. E., Wang, L. & Mäkinen, K. M., 1 Sept 2024, In: Annual review of virology. 11, 1, p. 147-170 24 p.Research output: Contribution to journal › Review Article › peer-review
Open AccessFile -
The Replicase Protein of Potato Virus X Is Able to Recognize and Trans-Replicate Its RNA Component
Dutta, P., Lõhmus, A., Ahola, T. & Mäkinen, K., Oct 2024, In: Viruses. 16, 10, 15 p., 1611.Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › Scientific › peer-review
Open Access -
Bio‐Templated Silver Nanopatterns for Photothermal and Antifogging Coatings
Swarnalok, D., Nguyen, H. M., Zou, F., Basarir, F., Mousavi, M., Mäkinen, K., Kostiainen, M. A. & Vapaavuori, J., Dec 2023, In: Advanced Materials Interfaces . 10 p.Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › Scientific › peer-review
Open AccessFile
-
MOBILITY PROGRAMME FOR EARLY CAREER RESEARCHERS IN AFRICA TO VISIT UNIVERSITY OF HELSINKI
Mäkinen, K. (Principal Investigator) & Machingauta, V. (Participant)
01/10/2024 → 28/02/2025
Project: Research project
-
Towards comprehensive protein-protein interactome responsible for the coordination of potyvirus infection processes
Mäkinen, K. (Project manager) & Pollari, M. (Participant)
01/09/2024 → 31/08/2028
Project: Research Council of Finland: Academy Project
-
ViPS: Viikki Plant Science Centre
Elomaa, P. (Project manager), Aphalo, P. (Principal Investigator), Asiegbu, F. (Principal Investigator), Bäck, J. (Principal Investigator), Berninger, F. (Principal Investigator), Brosche, M. (Principal Investigator), Fagerstedt, K. (Principal Investigator), Hänninen, H. (Principal Investigator), Heinonsalo, J. (Principal Investigator), Helariutta, Y. (Principal Investigator), Himanen, K. (Principal Investigator), Hölttä, T. (Principal Investigator), Hytönen, T. (Principal Investigator), Hyvönen, J. (Principal Investigator), Kangasjärvi, J. (Principal Investigator), Kärkönen, A. (Principal Investigator), Korpelainen, H. (Principal Investigator), Laine, A.-L. (Principal Investigator), Mähönen, A. P. (Principal Investigator), Mäkelä, A. (Principal Investigator), Mäkinen, K. (Principal Investigator), Ojala, A. (Principal Investigator), Overmyer, K. (Principal Investigator), Palonen, P. (Principal Investigator), Palva, E. T. (Principal Investigator), Pihlatie, M. (Principal Investigator), Pirhonen, M. (Principal Investigator), Porcar-Castell, A. (Principal Investigator), Pumpanen, J. (Principal Investigator), Rikkinen, J. (Principal Investigator), Robson, T. M. (Principal Investigator), Salojärvi, J. (Principal Investigator), Schulman, A. (Principal Investigator), Stoddard, F. (Principal Investigator), Teeri, T. (Principal Investigator), Valkonen, J. (Principal Investigator), Vesala, T. (Principal Investigator), Wrzaczek, M. (Principal Investigator) & Sims-Huopaniemi, K. (Other)
01/01/2015 → …
Project: Other project
-
Translationally active and inactive viral ribonucleoprotein complexes and their importance in potyvirus infection / Academy of Finland
Mäkinen, K. (Project manager) & Lõhmus, A. (Participant)
Project: Research project
-
Translationally active and inactive ribonucleoprotein complexes and their importance in potyvirus infection
Mäkinen, K. (Project manager), Pollari, M. (Participant) & Swarnalok, D. (Participant)
Project: Research project
Activities
-
Francesco Verdesca
Mäkinen, K. (Host)
19 Aug 2024 → 6 Dec 2024Activity: Hosting a visitor types › Academic visit at UH
-
Keynote speaker at XX Congress of the Spanish Society for Phytopathology (SEF)
Mäkinen, K. (Speaker)
25 Oct 2022Activity: Talk or presentation types › Invited talk
-
Invited talk in the American Society of Virology 41st Annual meeting
Mäkinen, K. (Speaker)
16 Jul 2022Activity: Talk or presentation types › Invited talk
-
Northern tubers of potato (Event)
Mäkinen, K. (Board member)
2021 → 2022Activity: Membership types › Membership or other role in national/international committee, council, board
-
Keynote talk in Plant Viruses Parallel Session in virtual World Society of Virology congress
Mäkinen, K. (Keynote speaker)
17 Jun 2021Activity: Talk or presentation types › Invited talk
Press/Media
-
-
Kohtaamisia - Vastuullista viljelyä - Kotipuutarha 4 2021
01/04/2021
1 Media contribution
Press/Media: Press / Media
-
Vesimeloni on kurkunviljelijän yllättävä vihollinen – kasvivirukset uhkaavat ruokaturvallisuutta, mutta tiede voi taklata ne geenisaksilla
14/11/2020
2 Media contributions
Press/Media: Press / Media
-
Kasvivirus voi kaapata kasvin puolustusjärjestelmän – tutkijat haluavat nykypäivän kasvinjalostustekniikat käyttöön
13/11/2020
1 Media contribution
Press/Media: Press / Media
-
Plant Viruses Hijack The Defence System Of Plants, But Researchers May Be Able To Find A Way To Strike Back
05/11/2020
1 item of Media coverage
Press/Media: Press / Media