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Rolf A. Prade
Oklahoma State University
Professor, Department of Microbiology and Molecular Genetics
Address: 307 Life Sciences East, OSU, Stillwater, OK, 74078
Phone: 405-744-7522 Fax: 405-744-6790
Email: rolf.prade@okstate.edu
URL: http://microbiology.okstate.edu/faculty/prade
http://aspergillus-genomics.org
http://stress-genomics.org
Ph.D., Biochemistry, 1987, University of São Paulo  
Postdoctoral: Fungal Genetics, 1989-92, University of Georgia
Research Emphasis: Molecular Genetics of Sensing in Aspergillus nidulans
Related Activities:
 
Research Description:

I am a biologist with a traditional education in biochemical genetics applied to microorganisms. My scientific interest emphasizes biological views of how and why simple eukaryotes convert from one functional cell-type, or genetic condition into another. My current research program focuses on development of large-scale molecular tools and the genetics of sensory mechanisms in Aspergillus nidulans. Two model processes are being studied; the genetics of stress responses and the molecular biology of plant cell wall degradation. Utilization of polysaccharides by fungi as a source of food requires expression of a large number of enzymes, extensive reorganization of metabolic pathways and coordination with other major cellular processes such as cell cycle and growth through polar extension. Adaptation to stress such as accumulation of free radicals and salt entails genetic modulation of metabolic pathways and functions. Understanding the mode of action of these complex genetic networks, the qualitative genetic reorganization versus the modulation (quantitative) of existing functions could be important to help devise genetic strategies to solve a number of stress-related problems that limit for example crop yields development of new drugs and pharmaceuticals for the health care of animals and humans.
 
Recent Publications:

Ayoubi P, Jin X, Leite S, Liu X, Martajaja J, Abduraham A, Wan Q, Yan W, Misawa E Prade R (2002) PipeOnline 2.0: Automated EST Processing and Functional Data Sorting. Nucleic Acid Res 30: 4761-4769.

Han K Prade R (2002) Stress Coupled Maintenance of Polar Growth in Aspergillus nidulans. Mol Microbiol 43: 1065 - 77.

Pena-Muralla R, Ayoubi P, Graminha M, Martinez-Rossi N, Rossi A, Prade R (2002) Antifungal Target Selection in Aspergillus nidulans: Using Bioinformatics to Make the Difference In: Pathogen Genomics: Impact on Drug Discovery Editor: Shaw KJ Humana Press Totowa, NJ.

Prade R, Ayoubi ,P Krishnan S, Macwana S, Russell H (2001) Accumulation of Stress and Cell Wall Degrading Enzyme Associated Transcripts During Asexual Development in Aspergillus nidulans. Genetics 157: 957-67.

Fu J, Prade R, Mort A (2001) Expression and action pattern of the rhamnoghalacturonase of Botryotinia fuckeliana in Pichia pastoris. Carboh Res 15: 73-81.
 
Selected Additional Publications:

Bohnert HJ, Ayoubi P, Borchert C, Bressan R, Burnap R, Cushman J, Cushman M, Deyholos M, Galbraith D, Hasegawa P, Jenks M, Kawasaki S, Koiwa H, Kore-eda S, Lee B-H, Michalowski C, Misawa E, Nomura N, Ozturk N, Postier B, Prade R, Song C-P, Tanaka Y, Wang H, Zhu J-K (2001) A Genomics Approach Towards Salt Stress Tolerance. Plant Physiol Biochem 39: 1-17.

Kupfer D, Reece A, Clifton S, Roe B, Prade R (1997) Multicellular ascomycetous fungal genomes contain more than 8000 genes. Fungal Genet Biol 21: 364-372.

Prade R, Griffith J, Arnold J, Timberlake W (1997) In vitro reconstruction of Aspergillus nidulans genome. Proc Natl Acad Sci USA 94: 14564-14569.

Wang Y, Prade R, Griffith J, Timberlake W, Arnold J 1994 A new, fast random cost algorithm for physical mapping. Proc Natl Acad of Sci USA 91: 11094- 11098.

Prade R and Timberlake, W 1993 The Aspergillus nidulans brlA regulatory locus consists of overlapping transcription units that are individually required for conidiophore development. EMBO J 12:2439-2447.