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STANTON GELVIN
| Edwin Umbarger Distinguished Professor of Biology HANS 339 494-4939 CV: Link |
Our research investigates how a soil bacterium, Agrobacterium tumefaciens , genetically engineers plants. Agrobacterium transfers a piece of bacterial DNA, the T-(transferred) DNA, to wounded plant cells where it makes its way through the cytoplasm to the nucleus. Once in the nucleus, T-DNA integrates into the host genome and expresses genes. Under normal circumstances, these genes cause the disease Crown Gall on plants. However, scientists have learned to manipulate T-DNA, replacing disease genes with genes of benefit to the plant. Many genetically engineered crop plants with desirable traits (disease resistance, herbicide tolerance, and enhanced nutritional value) were generated using Agrobacterium . Unfortunately, many important crop plants, including those important to Indiana farmers (corn, soybeans, and wheat) remain highly recalcitrant to Agrobacterium -mediated genetic transformation.
Our research focuses on understanding the role of plant genes and proteins in this natural genetic engineering process. We have identified plant genes involved in bacterial attachment to plant cells, T-DNA and Virulence transfer to and cytoplasmic trafficking within plants, T-DNA nuclear targeting, and T-DNA integration. Recently, we have been able to manipulate some of these genes to improve Agrobacterium transformation efficiency. We are currently working with agricultural biotechnology companies to improve the genetic engineering of crops, including those important for Indianas economy.
Education
Ph.D., California, San Diego, 1977
Professional Faculty Research
(Plant molecular biology) Mechanism of the transfer to and expression of the Agrobacterium tumefaciens Ti-plasmid in plant cells.
Awards
- Edwin Umbarger Distinguished Professor of Biology (2008)
- Loomis Lecturer, Iowa State University (2006)
- Fellow, American Academy of Microbiology (elected 2006)
Other Activities
Editorial Board:
- Associate Editor, Plant Methods
Grant Reviews/Study Sections:
- CDFA
- Corporation for Plant Biotechnology Research
Advisory Board:
- BRDC Scientific Advisory Board
- Institute of Plant and Microbial Biology, Academia Sinica, Taipei, Taiwan
Faculty Presentations and Conferences, 2006-2009:
- March 7-9, 2006. "Mechanisms of Agrobacterium-mediated genetic transformation: Plant genes involved in transformation". University of Nebraska, Lincoln.
- March 27-29, 2006. Loomis lecture: "The molecular mechanism of plant genetic transformation by Agrobacterium tumefaciens: Natures genetic engineer". Participated in a Symposium entitled "New facets in cross-kingdom interdependence: Molecular plant-microbe interactions" and presented a seminar entitled "Trafficking of Agrobacterium T-DNA through the plant cell". Iowa State University, Ames.
- April 4-6, 2006. BRACT Transformation Workshop and the Third UK Cereal Genetics and Genomics Workshop. "Manipulating the Plant Genome to Improve Agrobacterium-mediated Transformation". John Innes Centre, Norwich, England.
- June 12-28, 2006. “T-DNA integration into the host genome: Revisiting some old conceptsâ€. Institute of Plant and Microbial Boilogy, Academia Sinica, Taipei, Taiwan.
- July 21-26, 2006. “Plant genes involved in Agrobacterium-mediated plant genetic transformationâ€. University of California, Davis.
- August 11, 2006. “Over-expression of several Arabidopsis histone genes increases susceptibility to Agrobacterium-mediated transformation†and “Isolation and characterization of Arabidopsis mutants that are hyper-susceptible to Agrobacterium transformation (hat mutants)â€. Biotechnology Research and Development Corporation meeting, Chicago.
- September 28, 2006. “Agrobacterium and plant genetic engineeringâ€. Wabash College.
- October 18-30, 2006. “Plant genes involved in Agrobacterium-mediated plant genetic transformation: Manipulating these genes to enhance transformation: Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, China; Fudan University, Shanghai, China; Zhejiang Science and Technical University, Hangzhou, China; Jaotung University, Shanghai, China; Shanghai Institute of Plant Physiology and Ecology.
- November 17-19, 2006. The following talks/posters were presented at the 27th Annual Crown Gall conference, Williams College, Williamstown, MA.
- Vijayanand Nadella, Lan-Ying Lee, and Stanton B. Gelvin “Tracking the movement of VirE2 from Agrobacterium to plant cellsâ€
- Lan-Ying Lee, Heiko Oltmanns, Josh Cuperus, and Stanton B. Gelvin “Using bimolecular fluorescence complementation (BiFC) to study interactions between Agrobacterium virulence proteins and plant nuclear transfer proteinsâ€.
- Heiko Oltmanns, Bronwyn Frame, Susan Johnson, Lan-Ying Lee, Bo Li, Kan Wang, and Stanton B. Gelvin “Generation of “backbone†free, low transgene copy plants by integration of T-DNA into the Agrobacterium chromosomeâ€.
- Nagesh Sardesai, Huabang Chen, Joerg Spantzel, and Stanton B. Gelvin “Activation-tagging reveals a putative negative global regulator of Agrobacterium-mediated transformation in Arabidopsisâ€.
- Joerg Spantzel, Yanmin Zhou, Simran Bhullar, and Stanton B. Gelvin “Over- expression of Arabidopsis Histone H2A and H4, but not H2B and H3, cDNAs increases the frequency of Agrobacterium-mediated root transformationâ€.
- February 2-9, 2007. “Plant genes involved in Agrobacterium-mediated transformation: Manipulating these genes to improve transformation efficiencyâ€. Plenary lecture, Plant Transformation Technologies Conference, Vienna, Austria.
- February 28-March 1, 2007. “Plant genes involved in Agrobacterium-mediated transformationâ€. University of Missouri, Columbia.
- March 15-16, 2007. "Plant genes involved in Agrobacterium-mediated transformationâ€, University of Hawaii.
- May 9-11, 2007. "Plant genes involved in Agrobacterium-mediated transformation", University of Maryland Baltimore County, Baltimore, Maryland
- April 10-11, 2008. "Plant genes involved in Agrobacterium-mediated genetic transformation", Rutgers University, Newark, New Jersey
- May 4-9, 2008. "Plant genes involved in Agrobacterium-mediated plant genetic transformation", International Association of Plant Biotechnology meeting, Saskatoon, Saskatchewan, Canada.
- June 14-18, 2008. "Plant genes involved in Agrobacterium-mediated plant genetic transformation", Canadian Societyof Plant Physiology Meeting, Ottawa, Canada.
- November 9 - December 10, 2008. "Plant genes involved in Agrobacterium-mediated plant genetic transformation", The Institute of Plant and Microbial Biology, Academia Sinica, Taipei, Taiwan.
- November 18, 2008. "Plant genes involved in Agrobacterium-mediated plant genetic transformation", Monsanto Co., St. Louis, MO.
- November 21-23, 2008. The following talks and poster presentations at 29th Annual Crown Gall Conference, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI:
- "Cytokinin regulates expression of a myb transcription factor which influences susceptibility of Arabidopsis roots to Agrobacterium-mediated transformation" by Nagesh Sardesai, Gayla Olbricht, Hau-Hsuan Hwang, Yun-Long Tsai, Rebecca Doerge, Erh-Min Lai, and Stanton B. Gelvin.
- "Using multi-color bimolecular fluorescence complementation to investigate protein-protein interactions in living plant cells" by Lan-Ying Lee, Mei-Jane Fang, Lin-Yun Kuang, and Stanton B. Gelvin.
- "Peptide aptamers for defining protein function" by Stanton B. Gelvin, Lan-Ying Lee, Joerg Spantzel, Cuiping Xia, Nathan Hood, Yaling Wang, and Zhuzhu Zhang.
- "A novel Agrobacterium tumorigenesis assay" by Carla Rosenfield, Nagesh Sardsai, and Stanton B. Gelvin.
- "Over-expression of a UDP-glucosyltransferase represses plant defense responses and increases susceptibility to Agrobacterium-mediated transformation" by Nagesh Sardesai, Ann Perera, Rebecca Doerge, and Stanton B. Gelvin.
- April 7, 2009. "Plant genes involved in Agrobacterium-mediated genetic transformation", National Central University, Chunli, Taiwan.
- July 19-24, 2009. "Plant genes involved in Agrobacterium-mediated genetic transformation", poster presented at the IS-MPMI Congress, Quebec City, Canada.