Graduate Student B.S Microbiology Oregon State University, 2005
331 Koshland Hall Berkeley, California, United States 94720-3102 hockettk@berkeley.edu
Bacteriophytochromes (BphPs) in non-photosynthetic organisms
Phytochromes were discovered in plants over 50 years ago. The role of these red and far-red light-sensing proteins has been well studied and characterized in oxygenic photosynthetic organisms. More recently, phytochrome homologs have been discovered in non-photosynthetic bacteria through genomic and biochemical analysis. There remains a large void in our understanding of the biological roles of these proteins in heterotrophic organisms. This lack of understanding is further compounded by the fact that many of the behaviors controlled by phytochromes in photosynthetic organisms are not relevant to non-photosynthetic organisms.
Preliminary data indicates that flagellar-mediated motility is inhibited under light conditions, specifically red and far-red light, which corresponds to the characteristic absorption spectrum of phytochromes.
I am working now to understand understand the significance of BphPs in Pseudomonas syringae pv. syringae B728a through deletion mutagenesis. I am interested in finding phenotypes that can be linked to BphP-mediated light reception. I am also very interested in investigating how an abiotic factor such as light mediates the interaction between bacteria and their plant hosts.
These are swarming agar plates of P. sryingae pv. syringae B728a that have been incubated either under constant dark or under constant light for 48 hours.
Recent Teaching
192 - Molecular Approaches to Environmental Problem Solving
