Peatlands are hotspots of soil organic carbon (SOC) accumulation, and also sites where microbial respiration plays a major role in carbon storage and cycling. Though many think of peatlands in northern regions, there are peatlands in the tropics such as Southeast Asia and the Amazon. Tropical peatlands are estimated to store 11-14 percent of global… [Read More]

Within leaves, disease-causing pathogens co-occur and interact with ubiquitous, non-pathogenic symbionts known as endophytes. Understanding the role of fungal endophytes in diseases of crop-, plantation-, and forest plants is of great interest as researchers strive to meet current and future demands for food and bioenergy while maintaining functional and biologically diverse ecosystems. This project focuses… [Read More]

In forested watersheds, trees are center stage in the carbon cycle. However, tree-based photosynthetic carbon fixation is modulated by interactions with the subsurface microbial biosphere. Previous studies focused on the root rhizosphere, but recent work at the Eel River Critical Zone Observatory (CZO) in Northern California suggests much of the carbon, water and nutrient exchange… [Read More]

The objective of this project is to to perform a comprehensive study of regulatory (transcriptional and miRNA) networks underlying the nutrient stress-induced lipid accumulation response. They intend to use the information to develop an ENCODE-like working model of DNA regulatory elements associated with nutrient-responsive control of lipid accumulation phenotype (LAP) and biomass production in Chlamydomonas… [Read More]

The Brassicaceae constitute not only one of the most diverse plant families, but also one rich in agronomically-important vegetable and oilseed crops. Several species have been domesticated and include different cabbages, broccoli, turnip, rapeseed, horseradish, and several mustards. Brassicaceae include a number of species that are current and emerging biodiesel crops. Researchers plan to generate… [Read More]

Peatlands harbor up to one third of the world pool of soil carbon and are estimated to be responsible for as much as 20 percent of the global emission of the greenhouse gas methane.  Sequencing the metagenome and metatranscriptome of peat soil, and in particular, the rare peatland Desulfosporosinus species, as well as potentially novel… [Read More]

Thermophilic fungi have been an important source of industrial enzymes for decades but research and development efforts have historically focused on the identification and characterization of cellulolytic genes from just a few strains. This approach has produced advanced enzymes over time, but recent genomics-based investigation has almost instantaneously yielded a diverse palette of novel, thermostable,… [Read More]

While most basidiomycetes are difficult to cultivate in the laboratory, Coprinopsis cinerea is a notable exception in that it can complete its life cycle on artificial media in just two weeks. The C. cinerea genome is well-characterized, and both forward and reverse genetic approaches are now standard, allowing enormous scope for experimental manipulation in this… [Read More]