Texas A&M University
B.S. in Genetics, 1993.
Texas A&M
University-Commerce M.S. in Biological Sciences, 1997.
University of North Texas
Ph.D. in Molecular Biology, 2003
United
States Department of Agriculture, Agricultural Research Service, Southern
Regional Research Center Postdoctoral Fellow, 2003-2006.
Many agricultural commodities are vulnerable to attack by pathogens that are able to produce toxic metabolites called mycotoxins. Several fungi including Aspergillus flavus produce a particularly harmful mycotoxin called Aflatoxin (for Aspergillus flavus toxin). The biosynthesis of aflatoxins occurs during opportunistic pathogenesis of maize, cotton, peanuts, and tree nuts (almonds, pistachios and walnuts). These aflatoxins are toxic and carcinogenic polyketide compounds that have deleterious effects on human beings, poultry and livestock and are the only mycotoxin that have been regulated by the FDA. The control of aflatoxin biosynthesis is highly complex being influenced by both the pathogen and the host. The research in my lab uses molecular biology, and genomic approaches to elucidate the molecular mechanisms of the plant-pathogen aspects of afltoxin biosynthesis in an effort to reduce aflatoxin contamination. To this end we have several collaborative agreements with researchers at the USDA.
With Jiujiang Yu from the Food and Feed Safety unit of the USDA-ARS-SRRC we are using A. flavus microarrays, developed by the USDA and The Institute of Genomic Research, to investigate the genomic profile of A. flavus and A. parasiticus. From this several candidate genes have be identified that may function in aflatoxin regulation.
In an effort to understand the molecular aspects of the infection process, identify proteins and genes that may be associated with resistance and/or infection and to develop germplasm more resistant to Aspergillus infection and aflatoxin accumulation we are collaborating with Dr. Paul Williams of the USDA-ARS-MSA-Mississippi State, Corn Host Plant Resistance Research Unit. Corn germplasm with different levels of resistance to A. flavus infection and aflatoxin accumulation are grown in the field and inoculated with Aspergillus flavus. Mature ears from A. flavus inoculated and uninoculated ears are harvested and used for genomic profiling on A. flavus and maize microarrays. Candidate genes that can be used to engineering commercial crops resistant to fungal infection can then be used to develop lines resistant to aflatoxin accumulation. The research will help to identify multiple stress resistant corn and provide the germplasm and information needed by the seed industry to develop and commercialize hybrids with resistance to aflatoxin contamination.
Wilkinson, J.R., Spradling, K.D., Yoder, D.W., Pirtle, I.L., and Pirtle, R.M. "Molecular Cloning and Analysis of a Cotton Gene Cluster of Two Genes and Two Pseudogenes for the PR5 Protein Osmotin", Physiological and Molecular Plant Pathology, 2005 Vol. 67 (2) 68-82.
Kim, J.H., Campbell, B.C., Molyneux, R., Mahomey, N., Chan, K.L., Yu, J, Wilkinson, J., Cary, J., Bhatnagar, D., and Cleveland, T.E. "Gene Targets For Fungal and Mycotoxin Control", Mycotoxin Research, 2006 Vol. 22.
Yu, J., Cleveland, T.E., Wilkinson, J.R., Campbell, B.C., Kim, J.H., Kim, H.S., Bhatnagar, D., Payne, G.A., and Nierman, W.C. "Aspergillus Flavus Expressed Sequence Tags and Microarray as Tools in Understanding Aflatoxin Biosynthesis" Mycotoxin Research, 2006 Vol. 22.
Wilkinson, Jeffery R., Yoder, David W., Pirtle, Irma L., and Pirtle, Robert M. "Analysis of Cotton Genes for the Antifungal Protein Osmotin", Proceedings of the Cotton Beltwide Conference, National Cotton Council, Memphis, Tennessee, 2001.
Phone: (662) 325-2640
Fax: (662) 325-8664
Internet: jrw434@msstate.edu
