Plant Pathology - Dennis C. Gross


Search	Home Page >Directory >Faculty : Current Page

	Dennis C. Gross Professor & Department Head
	Office: 120A LF Peterson Lab: 212 LF Peterson Email: plpm-head@ag.tamu.edu
	Education
	Ph.D. Plant Pathology (1976) University of California at Davis
	Research Emphasis:
	Plant Pathogenic Bacteria Plant pathogenic bacteria and bacterial diseases of field and horticultural crops are the focus of studies in my laboratory. We are studying mechanisms of pathogenesis used by Pseudomonas syringae pv. syringae, a bacterium that infects a broad range of agronomically important plants. The bacterium produces two lipopeptide toxins, syringomycin and syringopeptin, which form pores in plasma membranes. The syringomycin (syr) and the syringopeptin (syp) gene clusters constitute a genomic island that encompasses almost 2% of the bacterial genome. Currently, we are focused on defining the genetic and functional organization of the toxin gene clusters. A functional genomics approach is being used to define key regulatory networks controlling bacterial virulence. Other areas of interest include bacterial diversity and evolution, and the biology of Erwinia and related genera.
	Recent Publications
	Wang, N., S.-E. Lu, A. R. Records, and D. C. Gross. 2006. Characterization of the transcriptional activators SalA and SyrF, which are required for syringomycin and syringopeptin production by Pseudomonas syringae pv. syringae. J. Bacteriol. 188:3290-3298. PDF - Full Text Wang, N., S.-E. Lu, J. Wang, Z. J. Chen, and D. C. Gross. 2006. The expression of genes encoding lipodepsipeptide phytotoxins by Pseudomonas syringae pv. syringae is coordinated in response to plant signal molecules. Mol. Plant-Microbe Interact. 19:257-269. PDF - Full Text Wang, N., S.-E. Lu, Q. Yang, S.-H. Sze, and D. C. Gross. 2006. Identification of the syr-syp box in the promoter regions of genes dedicated to syringomycin and syringopeptin production by Pseudomonas syringae pv. syringae. J. Bacteriol. 188:160-168. PDF - Full Text Kang, H., and D. C. Gross. 2005. Characterization of a resistance-nodulation-cell division transporter system associated with the syr-syp genomic island of Pseudomonas syringae pv. syringae. Appl. Environ. Microbiol 71:5056-5065. PDF - Full Text Lu, S.-E., N. Wang, J. Wang, Z. J. Chen, and D. C. Gross. 2005. Oligonucleotide microarray analysis of the SalA regulon controlling phytotoxin production by Pseudomonas syringae pv. syringae. Mol. Plant-Microbe Interact. 18:324-333. PDF - Full Text Scholz-Schroeder, B.K., J.D. Soule, and D.C. Gross. 2003. The sypA, sypB and sypC synthetase genes encode twenty-two modules involved in the nonribosomal peptide synthesis of syringopeptin by Pseudomonas syringae pv. syringae strain B301D. Mol. Plant-Microbe Interact. 16:271-280. PDF - Full Text Lu, S.-E., J.D. Soule, and D.C. Gross. 2003. Characterization of the argA gene required for argine biosynthesis and syringomycin production by Pseudomonas syrinage pv. syringae. Appl. Environ. Microbiol. 69:7273-7280. PDF - Full Text Lu, S.-E., B. K. Scholz-Schroeder, and D. C. Gross. 2002. Characterization of the salA, syrF, and syrG regulatory genes located at the right border of the syringomycin gene cluster of Pseudomonas syringae pv. syringae. Mol. Plant-Microbe Interact. 15:43-53. PDF - Full Text Lu, S.-E., B. K. Scholz-Schroeder, and D. C. Gross. 2002. Construction of pMEKm12, an expression vector for protein production in Pseudomonas syringae. FEMS Microbiol. Lett. 210:115-121. PDF - Full Text Scholz-Schroeder, B. K., J. D. Soule, S.-E. Lu, I. Grgurina and D. C. Gross. 2001. A physical map of the syringomycin and syringopeptin gene clusters localized to an approximately 145-kb DNA region of Pseudomonas syringae pv. syringae strain B301D. Mol. Plant-Microbe Interact. 14:1426-1435. PDF - Full Text Scholz-Schroeder, B. K., M. L. Hutchison, I. Grgurina, and D. C. Gross. 2001. The contribution of syringopeptin and syringomycin to virulence of Pseudomonas syringae pv. syringae strain B301D on the basis of sypA and syrB1 biosynthesis mutant analysis. Mol. Plant-Microbe Interact. 14:336-348. *Book Chapter* Gross, D.C., Grugurina, B.K. Scholz-Schroeder, and S.-E. Lu. 2003. Characteristics of the syr-syp genomic island of Pseudomonas syringae pv. syringae strain B301D. Pages 137-145 in Pseudomonas syringae Pathovars and Related Pathogens, edited by N.S. Iacobellis et. al. Kluwer Academic Publishers, The Netherlands.
	Home \| Undergraduate \| Graduate \| Research \| Extension \| Directory \| Announcements Site Map \| Contact \| What's New \| Web Page Change Request \| Replies & Suggestions