Research area:

Plant Molecular Biology, Biotechnology, Plant Genomics, Plant Pathology

Research description:

The work of my laboratory will be to continue to identify animal gene homologs in plants with the goal of comprehending the commonalities between plant and animal metabolic and signaling pathways.   These studies will be used to focus on the earliest activated receptor molecules in plants that perceive the adverse environment.  The eventual goal is to manipulate the conditions to genetically enhance the plant’s potential to withstand various forms of abiotic and biotic resistances and to better understand the plant’s ability to sense its environment.

Selected Publications:

Davis, M. R. and Howell, J. (2005) "Plant Defense Mechanisms Against Fungal Pathogens:  Polygalacturonase Inhibitor Proteins (PGIPs)". Can. J of Plant Physiol. (in press).

Davis, M.R. (2004) "Functional Genomics of Drought Stress Responses in Plants: A Review".  Physiol. Mol. Biol. Plants, 10(1): 29-36.

Guo, S., Cichy, S.B., He, X., Yang, Q.,Ragland, M., Ghosh, A.K., Johnson, P.F., Unterman,T.G.. Insulin suppresses transactivation by CAAT/enhancer-binding proteins beta (C/EBPbeta). Signaling top300/CREB-binding protein by protein kinase B disrupts interaction with the major activation domain of C/EBPbeta.. J Biol Chem. 2001 276(11):8516-23.

Gay, P.A., Ragland, M., Breuning, G. and Soliman, K.M. Molecular characterization of tolerance to Aluminum toxicity in soybean. Phytopathology 1998 88:S31.Gay, P.A.,Ragland, M.Mosko,C. E., Tuzun, S. and Soliman,K.M. Molecular basis of tolerance to aluminum toxicity in soybean.Phytopathology1997 87:S32.

Ragland, M. and Soliman, K.M. “Sali5-4a and Sali3-2: Two Genes Induced by Aluminum in
Soybean Roots”.Plant Physiology, 114(1) PGR97-071, 1997.Ragland, M. and Theil, E.C. “Ferritin (mRNA, Protein) and Iron Concentrations During Soybean Nodule Development”. Plant Molec. Biol. 1993 (3):555-560.

Lescure, A.-M., Proudhon, D., Pesey, H., Ragland, M., Theil, E.C. and Briat, J.-F. “Ferritin Gene Transcription is Regulated by Iron in Soybean Cell Cultures”. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A. 1991 88(18):8222-6.

Ragland, M., Briat, J.-F., Gagnon, J., Laulhere, J.-P., Massenet, O. and Theil, E.C. Evidence for
Conservation of Ferritin Sequences Among Plants and Animals and for a Transit Peptide in Soybean”. J Biol Chem. 1990. 265(30):18339-44.. 265(30):18339-44.