Dr. Nina V. Fedoroff |
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Pennsylvania State University Huck Institute for Life Sciences Biology Life Sciences Willaman Professor Santa Fe Institute External Faculty Pennsylvania State University Huck Institute for Life Sciences Biology Eberly College of Science Evan Pugh Professor |  |
Mailing Address219 Wartik Laboratory Pennsylvania State University University Park, Pennsylvania 16802-1503United States | Contact Information |
Qualifications
Ph.D., The Rockefeller University, Molecular Biology, 1972.
B.S., Syracuse University, Biology and Chemistry, 1966.
Expertise and Research Interests
I. How plants perceive, transduce and respond to environmental signals
Plants respond to a variety of environmental cues, such as light, temperature, humidity, and day length by changing their biochemical composition, their structure and how they grow. Transmission of external physical and chemical signals within the cell is mediated by signaling networks involving hormones, receptor kinases, G proteins, MAP kinase cascades and transcription factors. The complexity of the signaling network for just one plant hormone, abscisic acid (ABA) is illustrated in the diagram on the right. Plants respond to physical, chemical and biological stresses, such as ozone and pathogens, using the same signaling systems. We are using ozone as a model inducer of the stress response because it is an environmental pollutant that directly exposes plant cells to reactive oxygen species (ROS), such as superoxide anion and hydrogen peroxide. At very high levels, ROS signal cell death, while at intermediate levels they trigger an adaptive antioxidant response. Produced in locally and in small amounts, ROS serve as signaling molecules and redox regulators of enzyme activity.
Understanding the molecular networks underlying stress responses. To understand how plant cells respond to stress signals, particularly ROS, we have identified about 1100 stress-responsive genes and are using them to characterize the stress transcriptome of Arabidopsis using DNA microarray technology. The principles underlying gene expression profiling on microarrays is illustrated diagrammatically on the left. cDNA microarrays are prepared in the PSU Microarray Facility (http://sgio2.biotec.psu.edu/) using the spotting robot shown on the right. RNA samples are extracted from normal and ozone-treated tissues at various times during and after ozone exposure. Each RNA sample is copied into cDNA using reverse transcriptase and labeled with a different fluorescently-labeled nucleotide. The experimental and control samples are combined and hybridized to the cDNA microarry. The slides are then scanned at the peak emission wavelengths for each of the fluorescent dyes: an example of raw data is shown on the left. The data from many time points are compiled as ratios of the emission at the two wavelengths.
These data can then be displayed in a variety of ways to understand how gene expression changes for many genes simultaneously over the time period of the response. One of our first objectives was to identify the genes that comprise the ?primary response? group, genes that are activated by transcription factors that are already present. We sought to identify these by asking what genes are activated when protein synthesis is inhibited. We found that cycloheximide, a commonly used inhibitor of protein synthesis, is a strong activator of the expression of many genes, suggesting that plant cells, like their animal counterparts, exhibit the ribotoxic stress response. Emetine, another inhibitor of protein synthesis which does not trigger the ribotoxic stress response in animal cells, nonetheless induces expression of many Arabidopsis genes. However, the overlap between the group of genes induced by emetine alone and by ozone is much smaller than the overlap between the subset of genes activated by ozone and cycloheximide. This has permitted us to identify a group of about 50 genes which are strongly activated by ozone when protein synthesis is inhibited. In turn, these genes will help us identify the transcription factors that are most directly activated by ozone through the analysis of transcription factors binding sites in the promoters of the primary response genes.
The difficult question is this: how do we make integrate and analyze the vast amount of information coming from microarray experiments? What kinds of information can be extracted from the gene expression patterns themselves? Although ROS have traditionally been viewed as harmful, the paradoxical observation is that plant cells that do not produce an oxidative burst are more sensitive to pathogens and stress than plants cells that produce ROS. This suggests that there are groups of genes that exhibit redox regulation by ROS. We are currently engaged in understanding the molecular mechanism of this redox regulation.
Another approach we are taking is to develop a novel ?hypothesis proof-reader? concept, which we will implement as a software tool we call the Hypothesis-Space Browser or HyBrow. Its objective is to assist biologists in composing hypotheses and automate testing them for consistency with the growing volume of knowledge and data about the stress/defense response system. We hope to implement HyBrow in such a way that the community of interested researchers can participate in constructing and evolving a data-driven model of the plant stress/defense system through competition among hypotheses for experimental validation. We hope that HyBrow?s flexible architecture will make it possible to expand its internal knowledge representation as the information base grows.
II. The RNA-binding protein hyl1
We have carried out studies on a double-stranded RNA-binding protein encoded by the Arabidopsis HYL1 gene, identified several years ago by a transposon insertion mutation. The mutant has a number of interesting phenotypes, decreasing sensitivity to the growth hormones auxin and cytokinin and increasing sensitivity to abscisic acid (ABA). Microarray experiments have revealed that a number of stress-responsive genes are expressed at higher levels in the mutant than in wildtype plants, while just a few are expressed at lower levels. Conversely, a number of genes are expressed at lower levels in a plant that overexpresses the genes, while just a few are upregulated. Since we have not detected changes in RNA degradation rates, these observations suggest that the HYL1 protein may be a transcriptional regulator or co-regulator.
The results of recent experiments suggest that the mutant?s hypersensitivity to ABA may be mediated by overexpression of stress MAP kinases 3 and 6, activation of which is necessary for the ability of ABA to arrest development just after germination. This post-germination arrest is mediated by stabilization and accumulation of the ABI5 transcription factor, which is expressed during seed maturation. We have also observed changes in protein stability in the mutant. For example, one of the auxin efflux carriers is more stable in the hyl1 mutant than in wildtype plants in the presence of auxin. This may account for the reduced gravitropic response of the mutant, since degradation of the auxin efflux carrier is followed by its resynthesis and reinsertion in membranes following gravistimulation.
The HYL1 protein is likely to affect microRNA (miRNA) production and regulation. A number of miRNAs are present at low or undetectable levels in the mutant and overexpressed in a line expressing the gene from a strong promoter. Moreover, corresponding mRNAs are expressed at inverse levels. Current efforts are focused on identifying proteins with which the HYL1 protein interacts.
III. Transposon mutagenesis, deletional mutagenesis and targeted gene replacement
Over the past several years, we have developed a new transposon ?launching pad? based on the maize Ac-Ds transposon family. It can be used for both insertional and deletional mutagenesis. The transposon itself is carries a bacterial hygromycin-resistance marker and is inserted between a promoter and an herbicide-resistant acetolactate synthase (ALS) gene. This makes it possible to select plants in which transposition has occurred. Both the transposon and the T-DNA on which it is introduced into plant cells carry loxP recognition sites for the site-specific Cre recombinase encoded by the P1 bacteriophage. This makes it possible to use the Cre recombinase to make deletions between the donor site (?launching pad?) and a nearby reinserted transposon. The loxP sites are located in the promoter sequence of a negative selectable marker, the bacterial codA gene. Cre-mediated site-specific recombination can either invert or delete the sequence between a loxP site on the transposon and a loxP site in the launching pad. Both inversion and deletions disrupt the negative selectable marker, making it possible to select plants in which such rearrangements have occurred. Because the codA gene is flanked by an additional selectable gene on each side, deletions can be distinguished from inversions by the loss of the intervening selectable marker.
We have carried out experiments with F1 plants containing transposed elements and the Cre recombinase gene, showing that deletions and inversions occur at a high frequency. Because plants have a haploid phase in their life cycle, large deletions are rarely tolerated. We find that short deletions can be transmitted to F2 progeny, but long ones cannot. We are currently constructing an inducible Cre gene to permit large deletions to be made during development.
Another project in the lab is an exploratory project to address the challenge of targeted gene replacement by homologous recombination. Previous work has shown that this occurs at a very low frequency in plants and we are exploring several ways of making it easier to identify
Plants respond to a variety of environmental cues, such as light, temperature, humidity, and day length by changing their biochemical composition, their structure and how they grow. Transmission of external physical and chemical signals within the cell is mediated by signaling networks involving hormones, receptor kinases, G proteins, MAP kinase cascades and transcription factors. The complexity of the signaling network for just one plant hormone, abscisic acid (ABA) is illustrated in the diagram on the right. Plants respond to physical, chemical and biological stresses, such as ozone and pathogens, using the same signaling systems. We are using ozone as a model inducer of the stress response because it is an environmental pollutant that directly exposes plant cells to reactive oxygen species (ROS), such as superoxide anion and hydrogen peroxide. At very high levels, ROS signal cell death, while at intermediate levels they trigger an adaptive antioxidant response. Produced in locally and in small amounts, ROS serve as signaling molecules and redox regulators of enzyme activity.
Understanding the molecular networks underlying stress responses. To understand how plant cells respond to stress signals, particularly ROS, we have identified about 1100 stress-responsive genes and are using them to characterize the stress transcriptome of Arabidopsis using DNA microarray technology. The principles underlying gene expression profiling on microarrays is illustrated diagrammatically on the left. cDNA microarrays are prepared in the PSU Microarray Facility (http://sgio2.biotec.psu.edu/) using the spotting robot shown on the right. RNA samples are extracted from normal and ozone-treated tissues at various times during and after ozone exposure. Each RNA sample is copied into cDNA using reverse transcriptase and labeled with a different fluorescently-labeled nucleotide. The experimental and control samples are combined and hybridized to the cDNA microarry. The slides are then scanned at the peak emission wavelengths for each of the fluorescent dyes: an example of raw data is shown on the left. The data from many time points are compiled as ratios of the emission at the two wavelengths.
These data can then be displayed in a variety of ways to understand how gene expression changes for many genes simultaneously over the time period of the response. One of our first objectives was to identify the genes that comprise the ?primary response? group, genes that are activated by transcription factors that are already present. We sought to identify these by asking what genes are activated when protein synthesis is inhibited. We found that cycloheximide, a commonly used inhibitor of protein synthesis, is a strong activator of the expression of many genes, suggesting that plant cells, like their animal counterparts, exhibit the ribotoxic stress response. Emetine, another inhibitor of protein synthesis which does not trigger the ribotoxic stress response in animal cells, nonetheless induces expression of many Arabidopsis genes. However, the overlap between the group of genes induced by emetine alone and by ozone is much smaller than the overlap between the subset of genes activated by ozone and cycloheximide. This has permitted us to identify a group of about 50 genes which are strongly activated by ozone when protein synthesis is inhibited. In turn, these genes will help us identify the transcription factors that are most directly activated by ozone through the analysis of transcription factors binding sites in the promoters of the primary response genes.
The difficult question is this: how do we make integrate and analyze the vast amount of information coming from microarray experiments? What kinds of information can be extracted from the gene expression patterns themselves? Although ROS have traditionally been viewed as harmful, the paradoxical observation is that plant cells that do not produce an oxidative burst are more sensitive to pathogens and stress than plants cells that produce ROS. This suggests that there are groups of genes that exhibit redox regulation by ROS. We are currently engaged in understanding the molecular mechanism of this redox regulation.
Another approach we are taking is to develop a novel ?hypothesis proof-reader? concept, which we will implement as a software tool we call the Hypothesis-Space Browser or HyBrow. Its objective is to assist biologists in composing hypotheses and automate testing them for consistency with the growing volume of knowledge and data about the stress/defense response system. We hope to implement HyBrow in such a way that the community of interested researchers can participate in constructing and evolving a data-driven model of the plant stress/defense system through competition among hypotheses for experimental validation. We hope that HyBrow?s flexible architecture will make it possible to expand its internal knowledge representation as the information base grows.
II. The RNA-binding protein hyl1
We have carried out studies on a double-stranded RNA-binding protein encoded by the Arabidopsis HYL1 gene, identified several years ago by a transposon insertion mutation. The mutant has a number of interesting phenotypes, decreasing sensitivity to the growth hormones auxin and cytokinin and increasing sensitivity to abscisic acid (ABA). Microarray experiments have revealed that a number of stress-responsive genes are expressed at higher levels in the mutant than in wildtype plants, while just a few are expressed at lower levels. Conversely, a number of genes are expressed at lower levels in a plant that overexpresses the genes, while just a few are upregulated. Since we have not detected changes in RNA degradation rates, these observations suggest that the HYL1 protein may be a transcriptional regulator or co-regulator.
The results of recent experiments suggest that the mutant?s hypersensitivity to ABA may be mediated by overexpression of stress MAP kinases 3 and 6, activation of which is necessary for the ability of ABA to arrest development just after germination. This post-germination arrest is mediated by stabilization and accumulation of the ABI5 transcription factor, which is expressed during seed maturation. We have also observed changes in protein stability in the mutant. For example, one of the auxin efflux carriers is more stable in the hyl1 mutant than in wildtype plants in the presence of auxin. This may account for the reduced gravitropic response of the mutant, since degradation of the auxin efflux carrier is followed by its resynthesis and reinsertion in membranes following gravistimulation.
The HYL1 protein is likely to affect microRNA (miRNA) production and regulation. A number of miRNAs are present at low or undetectable levels in the mutant and overexpressed in a line expressing the gene from a strong promoter. Moreover, corresponding mRNAs are expressed at inverse levels. Current efforts are focused on identifying proteins with which the HYL1 protein interacts.
III. Transposon mutagenesis, deletional mutagenesis and targeted gene replacement
Over the past several years, we have developed a new transposon ?launching pad? based on the maize Ac-Ds transposon family. It can be used for both insertional and deletional mutagenesis. The transposon itself is carries a bacterial hygromycin-resistance marker and is inserted between a promoter and an herbicide-resistant acetolactate synthase (ALS) gene. This makes it possible to select plants in which transposition has occurred. Both the transposon and the T-DNA on which it is introduced into plant cells carry loxP recognition sites for the site-specific Cre recombinase encoded by the P1 bacteriophage. This makes it possible to use the Cre recombinase to make deletions between the donor site (?launching pad?) and a nearby reinserted transposon. The loxP sites are located in the promoter sequence of a negative selectable marker, the bacterial codA gene. Cre-mediated site-specific recombination can either invert or delete the sequence between a loxP site on the transposon and a loxP site in the launching pad. Both inversion and deletions disrupt the negative selectable marker, making it possible to select plants in which such rearrangements have occurred. Because the codA gene is flanked by an additional selectable gene on each side, deletions can be distinguished from inversions by the loss of the intervening selectable marker.
We have carried out experiments with F1 plants containing transposed elements and the Cre recombinase gene, showing that deletions and inversions occur at a high frequency. Because plants have a haploid phase in their life cycle, large deletions are rarely tolerated. We find that short deletions can be transmitted to F2 progeny, but long ones cannot. We are currently constructing an inducible Cre gene to permit large deletions to be made during development.
Another project in the lab is an exploratory project to address the challenge of targeted gene replacement by homologous recombination. Previous work has shown that this occurs at a very low frequency in plants and we are exploring several ways of making it easier to identify
Other Expertise
Academic Experience:
Honors & Awards:
National Institutes of Health Merit Award (1989-99)
Howard Taylor Ricketts Award, 1990
Outstanding Contemporary Woman Scientist, New York Academy of Sciences, 1992
Named among the 50 most outstanding alumni of the DamonRunyan-Walter Winchel Foundation, 1996
McGovern Science and Society Medal, Sigma Xi, 1997
Evan Pugh Professorship, 2002
Arents Pioneer Award, Syracuse University, 2003
Other Activities:
Developmental Biology Panel, National Science Foundation, 1979-80
Scientific Advisory Panel on Applied Genetics, Office of Technology Assessment, Congress of the United States, 1979-80
NIHRecombinant DNA Advisory Committee, 1980-84
Life Sciences Research Foundation, Peer Review Committee, 1982-1988
Plant Postdoctoral Fellowship Peer Review Committee, National Science Foundation, 1984
Editor, Gene, 1981-84
Phi Beta Kappa Visiting Scholar, 1984-85
Board of Reviewing Editors, Science, 1985
Organizing Committee, International Symposium on Plant Transposable Elements, 1987
NIH Recombinant DNA Advisory Committee Working Group on Guideline Revisions, 1987
Commission on Life Sciences and Board on Basic Biology, National Research Council, National Academy of Sciences, 1984-90
Scientific Advisory Committee, Competitive Research Grants Office, U.S. Dept. Agriculture, 1987-90
Scientific Advisory Board, Center for Agricultural Biotechnology, University of Maryland, 1987-1992
Visiting Committee, Department of Cellular and Developmental Biology, Board of Overseers of Harvard College, 1988- 991
Scientific Advisory Committee, Japanese Human Frontier Science Program, 1988
Biotechnology Committee, National Research Council, National Academy of Sciences, 1988-1990
Co-chair, US-USSR Interacademy Workshop on Plant Molecular Biology Applied to Agriculture, 1989
Editor, Perspectives in Biology and Medicine, 1990- present
Board of Directors, Genetics Society of America, 1990-1993
Committee of Visitors, Developmental Biology Program, NationalScience Foundation, 1991
Advisory Board, The Plant Journal, 1991-present
Council, National Academy of Sciences, 1991-1994
Damon Runyon-Walter Winchell Cancer Research Fund, guest reviewer, 1992
American Society for Cell Biology, Scientific Program Committee, 1992
Committee on the Visiting Scholar Program, Phi Beta Kappa, 1992-1993
Board of Directors, International Science Foundation, 1992-1993
International Advisory Board, Englehardt Institute of Molecular Biology, Moscow, 1993-present
Biological Sciences Advisory Board, NSF Directorate for Biological Sciences, 1994-present; Chair, 1996
Committee of Visitors, Division of Biological Instrumentation and Resources, 1995
Organizing Committee, XVI Botanical Congress, 1997-98
Editorial Board, Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, 1995-
NRC Committee on Research Opportunities and Priorities for the EPA, 1996-97
Business Experience:
Consultant, United AgriSeeds (1983-1989)
Dow Elanco, 1989-90
Board of Trustees, BIOSIS,1991-96
Consultant, White and Case, 1996
Board of Directors, Sigma-Aldrich Chemical Company, 1996-
National Science Board, 2000-
Board of Directors, AAAS, 2000-2003
Media experience:
Interviewee, MacNeal-Lehrer show, 1984;
Smithsonian World episode filmed, in part, in my laboratory, 1988;
Lecturer, Smithsonian Associates Series;
Interviewee, NPR, 1994;
Interviewee, Technopolitics, 1996.
Non-technical publications:
1. Fedoroff, N. (1984). Transposable genetic elements in maize. Sci. Am. 250, 84-98;
2. Fedoroff, N.V. (1985). Moving genes in maize. In Engineered Organisms in the Environment: Scientific Issues. H.O. Halvorson, D. Pramer, and M. Rogul, eds. (American Society for Microbiology: Washington), pp. 70-75;
3. Fedoroff, N. (1986).The recombinant DNA controversy: a contemporary cautionary tale. Syracuse Scholar 7, 19-33;
4. Fedoroff, N. (1987). Impeding genetic engineering.OpEd page, New York Times, 2 September;
5. Kelman, A., Anderson, W., Falkow, S., Fedoroff, N. and Levin, S.(1987). Introduction of Recombinant DNA-Engineered Organisms into the Environment: Key Issues. (National Academy Press: Washington);
6. Fedoroff, N. (1987). Genetically engineered organisms: monsters or miracles? OpEd piece released by National Academy Service, reprinted in 40 newspapers;
7. Fedoroff, N. (1989). Knowledge behind biotechnology is a towering achievement -- let's use it. Scripps Howard News Service release, 27 March;
8. Fedoroff, N. (1990). The restless gene. The Sciences, 31, 22-28;
9.Fedoroff, N. (1991). Ethic for a small planet. In: Human Biology. Health, Hoeostasis, and the Environment. D. D. Chiras (West Publishing Co., St.Paul). p. 127;
10. Fedoroff, N. (1991). Maize transposable elements. Perspectives in Biology and Medicine, 35, 2-19;
11. Fedoroff, N. (1992). Barbara McClintock: the geneticist, the genius, the woman. Cell, 71, 181-182;
12. Fedoroff, N. (1994). Barbara McClintock. Genetics, 136 1-10;
13. Fedoroff, N. (1996). Two women geneticists. American Scholar 65,587-592
14. Fedoroff, N. (1997). Food for a hungry world: we must find ways to increase agricultural productivity. The Chronicle of Higher Education43: 84-85
15. Fedoroff, N. (1998). Marcus Rhoades and transposition, Genetics 150, 957-961.
16. Nester, E.,Brakke, M, K., Chilton, M.-D., Fedoroff, N. V., and Kelman, A. (1998). EPA plant pesticide rule review. Council for Agricultural Science and Technology, Issue Paper 10.
17. Fedoroff, N. V. and J. E. Cohen (1999). Plants and population: Is there time?Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci USA 96: 5903-5907.
18. Fedoroff, N. V. (2001). What is the future of GMOs? In: 2001 AAAS Science and Technology Policy Yearbook. A. H. Teich, S. D. Nelson, C. McEnaney, and S. J. Lita, eds. (AAAS, Washington, D.C.) pp. 165-172.
19. Fedoroff, N. (2001). Biotechnology and agriculture: promise and peril. In: ?The Role of New Technologies in Poverty Alleviation and Sustainable Development,? R. K. Pachauri and G. Vasudeva, eds., (Tata Energy Research Institute, New Delhi), pp. 85-88.
20. Fedoroff, N. (2001). Barbara McClintock. In: The Encycopedia of Genetics (Academic Press, NY) pp. 1161-1162.
21. Fedoroff, N. (2002). Forward. Business Briefing: Life Sciences Technology. (World Markets Research Centre). p. 14.
Honors & Awards:
National Institutes of Health Merit Award (1989-99)
Howard Taylor Ricketts Award, 1990
Outstanding Contemporary Woman Scientist, New York Academy of Sciences, 1992
Named among the 50 most outstanding alumni of the DamonRunyan-Walter Winchel Foundation, 1996
McGovern Science and Society Medal, Sigma Xi, 1997
Evan Pugh Professorship, 2002
Arents Pioneer Award, Syracuse University, 2003
Other Activities:
Developmental Biology Panel, National Science Foundation, 1979-80
Scientific Advisory Panel on Applied Genetics, Office of Technology Assessment, Congress of the United States, 1979-80
NIHRecombinant DNA Advisory Committee, 1980-84
Life Sciences Research Foundation, Peer Review Committee, 1982-1988
Plant Postdoctoral Fellowship Peer Review Committee, National Science Foundation, 1984
Editor, Gene, 1981-84
Phi Beta Kappa Visiting Scholar, 1984-85
Board of Reviewing Editors, Science, 1985
Organizing Committee, International Symposium on Plant Transposable Elements, 1987
NIH Recombinant DNA Advisory Committee Working Group on Guideline Revisions, 1987
Commission on Life Sciences and Board on Basic Biology, National Research Council, National Academy of Sciences, 1984-90
Scientific Advisory Committee, Competitive Research Grants Office, U.S. Dept. Agriculture, 1987-90
Scientific Advisory Board, Center for Agricultural Biotechnology, University of Maryland, 1987-1992
Visiting Committee, Department of Cellular and Developmental Biology, Board of Overseers of Harvard College, 1988- 991
Scientific Advisory Committee, Japanese Human Frontier Science Program, 1988
Biotechnology Committee, National Research Council, National Academy of Sciences, 1988-1990
Co-chair, US-USSR Interacademy Workshop on Plant Molecular Biology Applied to Agriculture, 1989
Editor, Perspectives in Biology and Medicine, 1990- present
Board of Directors, Genetics Society of America, 1990-1993
Committee of Visitors, Developmental Biology Program, NationalScience Foundation, 1991
Advisory Board, The Plant Journal, 1991-present
Council, National Academy of Sciences, 1991-1994
Damon Runyon-Walter Winchell Cancer Research Fund, guest reviewer, 1992
American Society for Cell Biology, Scientific Program Committee, 1992
Committee on the Visiting Scholar Program, Phi Beta Kappa, 1992-1993
Board of Directors, International Science Foundation, 1992-1993
International Advisory Board, Englehardt Institute of Molecular Biology, Moscow, 1993-present
Biological Sciences Advisory Board, NSF Directorate for Biological Sciences, 1994-present; Chair, 1996
Committee of Visitors, Division of Biological Instrumentation and Resources, 1995
Organizing Committee, XVI Botanical Congress, 1997-98
Editorial Board, Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, 1995-
NRC Committee on Research Opportunities and Priorities for the EPA, 1996-97
Business Experience:
Consultant, United AgriSeeds (1983-1989)
Dow Elanco, 1989-90
Board of Trustees, BIOSIS,1991-96
Consultant, White and Case, 1996
Board of Directors, Sigma-Aldrich Chemical Company, 1996-
National Science Board, 2000-
Board of Directors, AAAS, 2000-2003
Media experience:
Interviewee, MacNeal-Lehrer show, 1984;
Smithsonian World episode filmed, in part, in my laboratory, 1988;
Lecturer, Smithsonian Associates Series;
Interviewee, NPR, 1994;
Interviewee, Technopolitics, 1996.
Non-technical publications:
1. Fedoroff, N. (1984). Transposable genetic elements in maize. Sci. Am. 250, 84-98;
2. Fedoroff, N.V. (1985). Moving genes in maize. In Engineered Organisms in the Environment: Scientific Issues. H.O. Halvorson, D. Pramer, and M. Rogul, eds. (American Society for Microbiology: Washington), pp. 70-75;
3. Fedoroff, N. (1986).The recombinant DNA controversy: a contemporary cautionary tale. Syracuse Scholar 7, 19-33;
4. Fedoroff, N. (1987). Impeding genetic engineering.OpEd page, New York Times, 2 September;
5. Kelman, A., Anderson, W., Falkow, S., Fedoroff, N. and Levin, S.(1987). Introduction of Recombinant DNA-Engineered Organisms into the Environment: Key Issues. (National Academy Press: Washington);
6. Fedoroff, N. (1987). Genetically engineered organisms: monsters or miracles? OpEd piece released by National Academy Service, reprinted in 40 newspapers;
7. Fedoroff, N. (1989). Knowledge behind biotechnology is a towering achievement -- let's use it. Scripps Howard News Service release, 27 March;
8. Fedoroff, N. (1990). The restless gene. The Sciences, 31, 22-28;
9.Fedoroff, N. (1991). Ethic for a small planet. In: Human Biology. Health, Hoeostasis, and the Environment. D. D. Chiras (West Publishing Co., St.Paul). p. 127;
10. Fedoroff, N. (1991). Maize transposable elements. Perspectives in Biology and Medicine, 35, 2-19;
11. Fedoroff, N. (1992). Barbara McClintock: the geneticist, the genius, the woman. Cell, 71, 181-182;
12. Fedoroff, N. (1994). Barbara McClintock. Genetics, 136 1-10;
13. Fedoroff, N. (1996). Two women geneticists. American Scholar 65,587-592
14. Fedoroff, N. (1997). Food for a hungry world: we must find ways to increase agricultural productivity. The Chronicle of Higher Education43: 84-85
15. Fedoroff, N. (1998). Marcus Rhoades and transposition, Genetics 150, 957-961.
16. Nester, E.,Brakke, M, K., Chilton, M.-D., Fedoroff, N. V., and Kelman, A. (1998). EPA plant pesticide rule review. Council for Agricultural Science and Technology, Issue Paper 10.
17. Fedoroff, N. V. and J. E. Cohen (1999). Plants and population: Is there time?Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci USA 96: 5903-5907.
18. Fedoroff, N. V. (2001). What is the future of GMOs? In: 2001 AAAS Science and Technology Policy Yearbook. A. H. Teich, S. D. Nelson, C. McEnaney, and S. J. Lita, eds. (AAAS, Washington, D.C.) pp. 165-172.
19. Fedoroff, N. (2001). Biotechnology and agriculture: promise and peril. In: ?The Role of New Technologies in Poverty Alleviation and Sustainable Development,? R. K. Pachauri and G. Vasudeva, eds., (Tata Energy Research Institute, New Delhi), pp. 85-88.
20. Fedoroff, N. (2001). Barbara McClintock. In: The Encycopedia of Genetics (Academic Press, NY) pp. 1161-1162.
21. Fedoroff, N. (2002). Forward. Business Briefing: Life Sciences Technology. (World Markets Research Centre). p. 14.
Keywords
COS Keywords:
Agricultural Biotechnology, Bioinstrumentation, Botany, Cell Biology, Developmental Biology, Developmental Genetics, DNA Replication, Dna Sequencing, Gene Mapping, Gene Transfer, Genes, Genetic Engineering, Genetics, Molecular Biology, Molecular Genetics, Morphology, Nucleic Acid Structure Or Function, Nucleic Acids, Plant Diseases Or Pathology, Plant Genetics, Plant Physiology Or Morphology, Plant Sciences, Recombinant Dna.Additional Terms:
Expression Profiling, Microarray, Ozone, Plant Development, Plant Oxidative Stress Response, Plant Stress Response, Plants, RNA-binding Protein, RNAi, Transposable Elements, Transposition.Languages
(Reading, Writing, Speaking)
Russian: (Fluent, Functional, Fluent)
French: (Basic, Basic, Functional)
Memberships
American Academy of Arts and Sciences
American Association for the Advancement of Science
American Society for Biochemistry and Molecular Biology
American Society for Cell and Developmental Biology
American Society of Plant Biologists
Genetics Society of America
International Society for Plant Molecular Biology
International Society for Traumatic Stress Studies
National Academy of Sciences
Phi Beta Kappa
Sigma Xi, The Scientific Research Society
Previous Positions
1995-2002, Director,
Pennsylvania State University,
Biotechnology Institute
1995-2002, Director,
Pennsylvania State University,
Biotechnology Institute
1979, Professor,
Johns Hopkins University
1979, Assistant Professor,
Johns Hopkins University
1979, Associate Professor,
Johns Hopkins University
1978, Staff Scientist,
Carnegie Institution of Washington
1972, Acting Assistant Director,
University of California, Los Angeles
Patents
Transposable elements and process for using same, United States of America, 4732856, 1988, institution-owned
Funding Received
- USDA: Molecular analysis of early ozone response genes in Arabidopsis, $150,000, Oct 2002 to Sep 2004.
- National Science Foundation (NSF): Homology-based gene targeting in Arabidopsis, $100,000, Oct 2001 to Sep 2002.
- NASA: Use of Arabidopsis transposon mutants in the study of gravitropism, $470,187, Mar 1, 1997 to Feb 28, 2000.
- National Science Foundation (NSF), 9633094: The Changing Environment for Biological Research and Graduate Education in Universities, to be held at Pennsylvania State U., University Park, PA March 12, 1996, $2,250, Mar 1, 1996 to Jun 30, 1996.
- PSU: Developing a new bioinformatics tool for biological hypothesis testing, $35,000, Jun 2002 to May 2003.
- National Science Foundation (NSF), 9596185: Methods for tagging and mutating Arabidopsis genes with transposons, $81,055, Jul 1, 1995 to Jun 30, 1997.
- National Science Foundation (NSF), 9123775: Methods for tagging and mutating Arabidopsis genes with transposons, $435,157, Jul 1, 1992 to Dec 31, 1995.
- National Science Foundation (NSF): The role of the HYL1 gene in the Arabidopsis hormone signaling network, $300,000, Feb 2001 to Jan 2004.
- National Science Foundation (NSF): Controlled deletional mutagenesis and gene homing in Arabidopsis, $360,000, Apr 2002 to Mar 2005.
- : New DNA microarray detection techniques in the study of stress-induced changes in plant gene expression., $1,8 million, 1998 to 2002.
- Transposition and developmental regulation of Spm, National Institutes of Health (NIH), 1,035,753, 7/95-6/99
Publications
- Mahalingam R, Gomez-Buitrago A, Eckardt N, Shah N, Guevara-Garcia A, Day P, Raina R, Fedoroff NV, Characterizing the stress/defense transcriptome of Arabidopsis, Genome Biology, 4(3), R20, 2003
- Cui H, Fedoroff NV, Inducible DNA demethylation mediated by the maize Suppressor-mutator
transposon-encoded TnpA protein, The Plant Cell, 14(11), 2883-99, November 2002
- Lu C, Han MH, Guevara-Garcia A, Fedoroff NV, Mitogen-activated protein kinase signaling in postgermination arrest of
development by abscisic acid, Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences (USA), 99(24), 15812-7, November 2002
- Fedoroff NV, RNA-binding proteins in plants: the tip of an iceberg?, Current Opinion in Plant Biology, 5(5), 452-9, October 2002
- Fedoroff NV, Cross-talk in abscisic acid signaling, Science's Stke [electronic Resource] : Signal Transduction Knowledge Environment., 2002(140), RE10, July 2002
- Nicewarner Pena SR, Raina S, Goodrich GP, Fedoroff NV, Keating CD, Hybridization and enzymatic extension of au nanoparticle-bound
oligonucleotides, Journal of the American Chemical Society, 124(25), 7314-23, June 2002
- Holter NS, Maritan A, Cieplak M, Fedoroff NV, Banavar JR, Dynamic modeling of gene expression data, Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences (USA), 98(4), 1693-8, February 2001
- Holter NS, Mitra M, Maritan A, Cieplak M, Banavar JR, Fedoroff NV, Fundamental patterns underlying gene expression profiles: simplicity from
complexity, Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences (USA), 97(15), 8409-14, July 2000
- Fedoroff NV, Cohen JE, Plants and population: is there time?, Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences (USA), 96(11), 5903-7, 25 May 1999
- Fedoroff NV, Transposable elements as a molecular evolutionary force., Annals of the New York Academy of Sciences, 870, 251-64, 18 May 1999
- Fedoroff NV, The suppressor-mutator element and the evolutionary riddle of transposons., Genes Cells, 4(1), 11-9, Jan 1999
- Fedoroff N, Marcus Rhoades and transposition., Genetics, 150(3), 957-61, November 1998
- Raina R, Schlappi M, Karunanandaa B, Elhofy A, Fedoroff N, Concerted formation of macromolecular Suppressor-mutator transposition complexes., Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences (USA), 95(15), 8526-31, 21 Jul 1998
- Fedoroff, N. V., The discovery of transposable elements, In: Discoveries in Plant Biology, Vol 1, Shain-Dow Kung & S, 89-104, 1998
- Raina, R., Schläppi, M., and Fedoroff, N., Epigenetic mechanisms in the regulation of the maize Spm transposon, In: Epigenetics. Proc. Novartis Foundation Symposium 241, 133-143, 1998
- Tsugeki, R., Olson, M., and Fedoroff, N., Transposon insertional mutagenesis and the study of plant root development, In: Radical Biology: Advances and Perspectives on the Funct, 18, 48-58, 1998
- Tsugeki, R., Olson, M., and Fedoroff, N., Transposon tagging and the study of root development in Arabidopsis, ASGSB Symposium Proceedings, in press, 1998
- Raina, R., Schläppi, M., Karunananandaa, B., Elhofy, A. and Fedoroff, N., Concerted formation of macromolecular Spm transposition complexes, Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences (USA), in press, 1998
- Raina R, Schlappi M, Fedoroff N, Epigenetic mechanisms in the regulation of the maize Suppressor-mutator transposon., Novartis Found Symp, 214, 133-40; discussion 1, 1998
- Fedoroff, N., Food for a hungry world: we must find ways to increase agricultural productivity, The Chronicle of Higher Education, 43, 84-85, 1997
- Schlappi M, Raina R, Fedoroff N, A highly sensitive plant hybrid protein assay system based on the Spm promoter and TnpA protein for detection and analysis of transcription activation domains., Plant Molecular Biology, 32(4), 717-25, November 1996
- Smith D, Yanai Y, Liu Y G, Ishiguro S, Okada K, Shibata D, Whittier R F, Fedoroff N V, Characterization and mapping of Ds-GUS-T-DNA lines for targeted insertional mutagenesis., Plant Journal, 10(4), 721-32, October 1996
- Tsugeki R, Kochieva E Z, Fedoroff N V, A transposon insertion in the Arabidopsis SSR16 gene causes an embryo-defective lethal mutation., Plant Journal, 10(3), 479-89, September 1996
- Fedoroff, N., Two women geneticists, American Scholar, 65, 587-592, 1996
- Fedoroff, N. V., Epigenetic regulation of the maize Spm transposable element, In: Epigenetics, V. E. A. Russo, R. A. Martienssen, and A. D, 575-592, 1996
- Smith D L, Fedoroff N V, LRP1, a gene expressed in lateral and adventitious root primordia of arabidopsis., Plant Cell, 7(6), 735-45, June 1995
- Fedoroff N, Schlappi M, Raina R, Epigenetic regulation of the maize Spm transposon., Bioessays, 17(4), 291-7, April 1995
- Fedoroff N V, DNA methylation and activity of the maize Spm transposable element., Current Topics In Microbiology and Immunology, 197, 143-64, 1995
- Schlappi M, Raina R, Fedoroff N, Epigenetic regulation of the maize Spm transposable element: novel activation of a methylated promoter by TnpA., Cell, 77(3), 427-37, 6 May 1994
- Fedoroff N V, Barbara McClintock (June 16, 1902-September 2, 1992)., Genetics, 136(1), 1-10, January 1994
- Raina R, Cook D, Fedoroff N, Maize Spm transposable element has an enhancer-insensitive promoter., Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences (USA), 90(13), 6355-9, 1 Jul 1993
- Schlappi M, Smith D, Fedoroff N, TnpA trans-activates methylated maize Suppressor-mutator transposable elements in transgenic tobacco., Genetics, 133(4), 1009-21, April 1993
- Fedoroff N V, Smith D L, A versatile system for detecting transposition in Arabidopsis., Plant Journal, 3(2), 273-89, February 1993
- Masson P, Strem M, Fedoroff N, The tnpA and tnpD gene products of the Spm element are required for transposition in tobacco., Plant Cell, 3(1), 73-85, January 1991
- Masson P, Banks J A, Fedoroff N, Structure and function of the maize Spm transposable element., Biochimie, 73(1), 5-8, January 1991
- Masson P, Rutherford G, Banks J A, Fedoroff N, Essential large transcripts of the maize Spm transposable element are generated by alternative splicing., Cell, 58(4), 755-65, 25 Aug 1989
- Fedoroff N, Masson P, Banks J A, Mutations, epimutations, and the developmental programming of the maize Suppressor-mutator transposable element., Bioessays, 10(5), 139-44, May 1989
- Masson P, Fedoroff N V, Mobility of the maize suppressor-mutator element in transgenic tobacco cells., Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences (USA), 86(7), 2219-23, April 1989
- Fedoroff N, The heritable activation of cryptic Suppressor-mutator elements by an active element., Genetics, 121(3), 591-608, March 1989
- Fedoroff N V, About maize transposable elements and development., Cell, 56(2), 181-91, 27 Jan 1989
- Schläppi, M., Raina, R., and Fedoroff, N., A highly sensitive plant hybrid protein assay system based on the Spm promoter and TnpA protein for detection and analysis of transcription activation domains. Plant Mol. Biol. 30, 1223-1232, 1996
- Smith, D., Liu, Y.-G., Yanai, Y., Ishiguro, S., Okada, K., Shibata, D., Whittier, R. F., and Fedoroff, N. V., Characterization and mapping of Ds-GUS-T-DNA lines for targeted insertional mutagenesis. Plant J. 10, 721-732, 1996
- Tsugeki, R. and Fedoroff, N., The ARP-S16 gene: rapid identification of the biochemical lesion underlying a transposon-tagged embryo-defective Arabidopsis mutation. Plant J. 10, 479-489, 1996
- Fedoroff, N. V., Epigenetic regulation of the maize Spm transposable element. In: Epigenetics, V. E. A. Russo, R. A. Martienssen, and A. D. Riggs, eds. (Cold Spring Harbor Press: Cold Spring Harbor), 575-592, 1996
- Smith, D. L. and Fedoroff, N. V., LRP1, a gene expressed in lateral and adventitious root primordia of Arabidopsis. Plant Cell, 735-745, 1995
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