My laboratory has two main areas of interest: peptide transport and leaf development.  We study leaf development to better understand how genes and their products are integrated into functional networks and how small changes in these networks can lead to differences in leaf shape.  We also study peptide transport genes in maize and rice.  Homology searches have allowed us to identify 19 putative peptide transporters.  We are interested in determining how many of these genes encode peptide transporters, how are they regulated, and what are their biological roles.

Past lab members  

Amy Kortis (Class of 2006)

Abbey Breckenhiemer

Kristyn Dumont (Class of 2005)  Kristyn is extending Kerry Donahue's work.  She has used PCR to amplify a putative dipeptide transporter from rice named OsPTR1.  Kristyn's work is funded by the Clare Boothe Luce Foundation. 

Pat Bafuma (Class of 2004) Pat has cloned a putative peptide transport gene from rice named OsOPT1.  OsOPT1 is a member of the Oligopeptide Transporter Gene family (OPT) and is thought to be involved in nitrogen partitioning in plants.  Pat is funded through the Vermont Genetics Network. 

David Moody (Class of 2004)  David studies an olipeptide transporter from maize named ZmOPT3 and his work is funded by the Vermont Genetics Network.  David spent the past summer working at UC Berkeley in Sarah Hake's Lab.

Kerry Donahue (class of 2003)

Current endeavor: PhD student, Cornell University-Plant Molecular Biology Department.

Kerry studied the genes that mediate the uptake of small peptides into rice plants and how gene expression of OsPTR1 is affected by plant hormones. Kerry’s work was supported by an award from the Clare Luce Booth Foundation and the Vermont Genetics Network.

Lee Brooks (Class of 2003)

Current endeavor:  Lee is working with Mike Scanlon at the University of Georgia as part of a maize genomics project.

Lee studied how alterations in regulatory sequences of developmental genes can impact leaf morphology across species boundaries.  Lee’s work was funded by the Council for Undergraduate Research and the Vermont Genetics Network

Presentations by students:

“Characterization of a peptide transport gene from Oryza sativa.”  Kerry Donahue, David Moody, and Mark Lubkowitz.   Vermont Genetic Network retreat at UVM. August 2002.

The lab team in the field. Left to right-Mark Lubkowitz, Lee Brooks, David Moody, and Kerry Donahue.

The Biology Website is maintained by the Department of Biology at Saint Michael's College.
Questions or comments should be directed to:  Mark Lubkowitz

This page was last modified on 16 February 2007