- Associate Professor, Biochemistry and Biophysics, College of Agriculture and Life Sciences
- Faculty Affiliate, Energy Institute, Texas A&M Engineering Experiment Station (TEES), Division of Research
We study the biochemical and molecular mechanisms underlying the control of programmed cell death (PCD) in plants and how PCD is manipulated during plant-pathogen interactions. Specifically we study the interaction between tomato and Pseudomonas syringae pv. tomato (Pst) the causative agent of bacterial spot disease. Resistance to this disease is conferred by the host Pto serine/threonine protein kinase which recognizes Pst strains expressing the type III effector protein AvrPto.
PCD is induced during both resistant and susceptible plant-pathogen interactions. In the case of a resistant interaction, PCD induced by the plant, known as the hypersensitive response (HR), and acts to limit the spread of the pathogen. In susceptible plant-pathogen interactions plant PCD is induced by the pathogen after infection leading to death of the host. Studies have indicated that the genes controlling host PCD during the HR are the same genes that are manipulated by the pathogen during susceptible interactions. The difference lies in the timing of controlling the activity of these genes; HR PCD occurs within 12 hours of pathogen recognition while pathogen-induced PCD occurs several days after infection.
Many of these genes that control plant PCD are serine/threonine (S/T) protein kinase. We are interested in studying a specific class of S/T protein kinases that control PCD in plants called AGC kinases and how they are regulated in both resistant and susceptible plant-pathogen interactions. Additionally, when plants are not attacked by pathogens, PCD is a process that requires constant control so that cell death does not occur. We are looking at the signaling mechanisms and pathways employed to keep PCD under check in non-pathogen challenged plants.
Academic Articles53
- Yeo, I., & Devarenne, T. P. (2020). Screening for potential nuclear substrates for the plant cell death suppressor kinase Adi3 using peptide microarrays. PLoS ONE. 15(6), e0234011-e0234011.
- Hsu, S., Browne, D. R., Tatli, M., Devarenne, T. P., & Stern, D. B. (2019). N-terminal sequences affect expression of triterpene biosynthesis enzymes in Chlamydomonas chloroplasts. Algal Research. 44, 101662-101662.
- Su, D., & Devarenne, T. P. (2018). In vitro activity characterization of the tomato SnRK1 complex proteins. Biochimica et Biophysica Acta (BBA) - Proteins and Proteomics. 1866(8), 857-864.
- Kim, H. S., Devarenne, T. P., & Han, A. (2018). Microfluidic systems for microalgal biotechnology: A review. Algal Research. 30, 149-161.
- Tatli, M., Ishihara, M., Heiss, C., Browne, D. R., Dangott, L. J., Vitha, S., Azadi, P., & Devarenne, T. P. (2018). Polysaccharide associated protein (PSAP) from the green microalga Botryococcus braunii is a unique extracellular matrix hydroxyproline-rich glycoprotein. Algal Research. 29, 92-103.
Chapters1
- Cornejo-Corona, I., Thapa, H. R., Devarenne, T. P., & Lozoya-Gloria, E. (2015). The biofuel potential of the green colonial microalga Botryococcus braunii. Microalgae and Other Phototrophic Bacteria: Culture, Processing, Recovery and New Products. (pp. 41-58).
Conference Papers7
- Tatli, M., Ishihara, M., Heiss, C., Browne, D. R., Dangott, L. J., Vitha, S., Azadi, P., & Devarenne, T. P. (2018). A Unique Hydroxyproline-rich Glycoprotein from the green microalga Botryococcus braunii. Glycobiology. 28(12), 1021-1021.
- Waqued, S., Kim, H. S., Devarenne, T. P., Yakovlev, V., & Han, A. (2016). Raman spectroscopy compatible PDMS droplet microfluidic culture and analysis platform for on-chip lipidomics. 1344-1345.
- Kim, H. S., Han, S., Guzman, A. R., Sobahi, N., Thapa, H. R., Browne, D., ... Han, A. (2016). Selecting high-growth/high-lipid producing microalgae from a mutant library through droplet microfluidics. 200-201.
- Kim, H. S., Guzman, A. R., Sobahi, N., Thapa, H. R., Devarenne, T. P., & Han, A. (2015). High-Throughput Droplet-Based Screening System for Investigating Microalgae Library. PROCEEDINGS OF THE IEEE SENSORS 2004, VOLS 1-3. 1-4.
- Kim, H. S., Guzman, A. R., Thapa, H. R., Devarenne, T. P., & Han, A. (2014). A high-throughput droplet microfluidics-based screening platform for quantitative analysis of algal growth and oil accumulation. 279-281.
Principal Investigator3
- The Nuclear Role of the Plant Cell Death Suppressor Adi3 awarded by National Science Foundation 2013 - 2016
Co-Principal Investigator2
- BICH101 Perspectives In Bich And Gene Instructor
- BICH303 Elements Of Biol Chem Instructor
- BICH485 Directed Studies: In-ab Instructor
- BICH491 Hnr-research Instructor
- BICH491 Research Instructor
- Browne, Daniel R (2018-12). Systems Analysis of Metabolism and Physiology of the Oil-Producing Green Alga Botryococcus braunii Race B (Showa). (Doctoral Dissertation)
- Su, Dongyin (2018-08). Characterization of the Tomato SnRK1 Complex Activity and Its Role in Bacterial Infection. (Doctoral Dissertation)
- Tatli, Mehmet (2018-05). NEW STRUCTURAL INSIGHTS INTO THE EXTRACELLULAR MATRIX AND HYDROCARBON DIVERSITY OF Botryococcus Braunii RACE B. (Doctoral Dissertation)
- Thapa, Hem R (2017-08). Elucidation of the Tetraterpene Hydrocarbon Biosynthetic Pathway in the Green Microalga Botryococcus braunii Race L. (Doctoral Dissertation)
- Gray, Joel W (2013-08). Non-activation Loop Phosphorylation and Downstream Signaling of AGC1-3 the Arabidopsis thaliana Homologue of the Tomato Cell Death Suppressor Adi3. (Doctoral Dissertation)