Research Interests
Our laboratory is engaged in two exciting and challenging areas of research. One deals with elucidation of the genetic and molecular
mechanisms involved in the ability of algal cells (Chlamydomonas reinhardtii) to enhance photosynthesis by increasing internal levels of
CO2 to 60x the external levels of CO2 (i.e., a carbon concentrating mechanism). The second line of research focuses on the genetic engineering
of crop plants for enhanced photosynthesis, disease resistance and herbicide resistance.
Recent Papers
Knockdown of a Limiting-CO2-inducible Gene HLA3 Decreases Bicarbonate Transport and Photosynthesis Efficiency in Chlamydomonas reinhardtii. 2009 Deqiang D, Miller AR, Horken KM, Weeks DP, and Spalding MH Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. USA 106:5990-95
Crystal structure of dicamba monooxygenase - A Rieske nonheme oxygenase that catalyzes oxidative demethylation. R. Dumitru, W. Z. Jiang, D. P. Weeks, and M. A. Wilson. 2009 Journal of Molecular Biology 392(2):498-510
The Small Ubiquitin-like Modifier (SUMO) and SUMO Conjugating System of Chlamydomonas reinhardtii. 2008 Y. Wang, I. Ladunga, A.R. Miller, K. M. Horken, T. Plucinak, D. P. Weeks, and C. P. Bailey. Genetics 179:177-92
Dicamba tolerance: Enlarging and preserving biotechnology-based weed management strategies 2007 M.R. Behrens, N. Mutlu, S. Chakraborty, R. Dumitru, W. Jiang, B.J. LaVallee, P.L. Herman, T.E. Clemente and D.P. Weeks. Science 316:1185-8
Herman PL, Behrens M, Chakraborty S, Chrastil BM, Barycki J, Weeks DP.
A three-component dicamba O-demethylase from Pseudomonas maltophilia, strain
DI-6: gene isolation, characterization, and heterologous expression.
J Biol Chem. 2005 Jul 1;280(26):24759-67. Epub 2005 Apr 26.
PMID: 15855162 [PubMed - in process]
Chakraborty S, Behrens M, Herman PL, Arendsen AF, Hagen WR, Carlson DL, Wang
XZ, Weeks DP.
A three-component dicamba O-demethylase from Pseudomonas maltophilia, strain
DI-6: purification and characterization.
Arch Biochem Biophys. 2005 May 1;437(1):20-8.
PMID: 15820213
Novoselov SV, Rao M, Onoshko NV, Zhi H, Kryukov GV, Xiang Y, Weeks DP,
Hatfield DL, Gladyshev VN.
Selenoproteins and selenocysteine insertion system in the model plant cell
system, Chlamydomonas reinhardtii.
EMBO J. 2002 Jul 15;21(14):3681-93.
PMID: 12110581
Kovar JL, Zhang J, Funke RP, Weeks DP.
Molecular analysis of the acetolactate synthase gene of Chlamydomonas
reinhardtii and development of a genetically engineered gene as a dominant
selectable marker for genetic transformation.
Plant J. 2002 Jan;29(1):109-17.
PMID: 12060231
Xiang Y, Zhang J, Weeks DP.
The Cia5 gene controls formation of the carbon concentrating mechanism in
Chlamydomonas reinhardtii.
Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A. 2001 Apr 24;98(9):5341-6. Epub 2001 Apr 17.
PMID: 11309511
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