Area(s) of Expertise
Our interests include the molecular biology and genomics of bacteriophages and bacteria. Bacteriophages are the single most abundant biological entities on earth, with estimates of over 1031 in number. Over several years, our experience has included working with phages that infect E. coli, Salmonella, Bacillus, Vibrio, Mycobacterium and currently Paenibacillus larvae, a pathogen of honey bees that causes American Foulbrood Disease (AFB). Phage genomics is extremely tractable since phage can be relatively easily isolated, the current cost of DNA sequencing is low, and assembly and annotation of phage genomes is readily learned and accomplished. Graduate students and undergraduates can participate in a variety of projects with fairly short learning curves. With support from the Bayer Bee Care Center (BBCC), we are pursuing P. larvae phage isolation, genome characterization and analysis of specific phage gene and protein functions of interest. Some of this work could impact our understanding and treatment of AFB.
We also have microbiology projects involving collaborators on campus that include studies of the enzymes of isobutylene catabolism by Mycobacterium sp. (with Dr. Michael Hyman), study of defense against bacterial infections in honey bees (with Dr. David Tarpy), study of novel porphyrins produced by cyanobacteria (with Dr. Jon Lindsey), and study of translation elongation efficiency in E. coli (with Dr. Don Bitzer). Students and research scientists at all levels are involved in this work. Contact us at any time if you’d like to discuss one of these projects.
Courses taught:
- MB(GN) 758 Microbial Genetics and Genomics (Spring; Graduate)
- MB(BIT) 210 Phage Hunters (on hiatus)
Publications
- Cellular localization of tolyporphins, unusual tetrapyrroles, in a microbial photosynthetic community determined using hyperspectral confocal fluorescence microscopy, Photosynthesis Research (2019)
- Genome sequence, metabolic properties and cyanobacterial attachment of Porphyrobacter sp. HT-58-2 isolated from a filamentous cyanobacterium–microbial consortium, Microbiology (2018)
- An inclusive Research Education Community (iREC): Impact of the SEA-PHAGES program on research outcomes and student learning, Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences (2017)
- Genome sequence and composition of a tolyporphin-producing cyanobacterium-microbial community, Applied and Environmental Microbiology (2017)
- Mass spectrometric detection of chlorophyll a and the tetrapyrrole secondary metabolite tolyporphin A in the filamentous cyanobacterium HT-58-2. Approaches to high-throughput screening of intact cyanobacteria, Journal of Porphyrins and Phthalocyanines (2017)
- Photophysical characterization of the naturally occurring dioxobacteriochlorin tolyporphin A and synthetic oxobacteriochlorin analogues, Photochemistry and Photobiology (2017)
- Quantitation of Tolyporphins, Diverse Tetrapyrrole Secondary Metabolites with Chlorophyll-Like Absorption, from a Filamentous Cyanobacterium-Microbial Community, Phytochemical Analysis (2017)
- Vibrio phage KVP40 encodes a functional NAD(+) salvage pathway, Journal of Bacteriology (2017)
- Genome Sequence of
Aeromicrobium erythreum
NRRL B-3381, an Erythromycin-Producing Bacterium of the
Nocardioidaceae, Genome Announcements (2016) - Paenibacillus larvae
Phage Tripp Genome Has 378-Base-Pair Terminal Repeats, Genome Announcements (2016)
Publications
Education
Ph.D., Biological Sciences, Purdue University (1982)
B.A., Microbiology, California State University (1977)